In 1970, there I was, perched on the bleachers of Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, alongside my mother and my Aunt Low (short for Lorraine). We were attending a Billy Graham Crusade, and the stadium was bursting at the seams with over 50,000 souls in attendance. Our seats were near the 50-yard line, just nine rows up from the field, and a group of handicapped veterans sat in wheelchairs on the field just below us.
Enter the legendary Ethel Waters, a woman with more accolades than a rooster has feathers – she boasted Grammy, Emmy, and NAACP Image Awards. Born in 1896, she was seventy-seven years old at the time, and as she started singing “His Eye Is On The Sparrow,” her soul-stirring performance was interrupted by a group of demonstrators. They rose in the bleachers, chanting “God dxxx Billy Graham” at the top of their lungs. (No, I can’t even type the Lord’s name in vain, but you get it, right?)
But Ethel Waters was no pushover. She halted the music, her voice resonating with both love and firmness as she addressed the disruptive protestors. She expressed her desire to give them a good spanking, but her love for all of God’s children compelled her to pray for them instead. After she finished praying, the crowd responded with thunderous applause. The veterans and many others in the crowd glared at the protestors, threatening to personally eject them if they didn’t cease their disruption. Some of the protestors were led out by the police, while others simply disappeared into the crowd. Later, I read in the local newspaper that the protestors were paid anti-war and civil rights activists, brought in by buses to disrupt the service. But despite their best efforts, the event continued as planned, with Billy Graham delivering his message to the enormous crowd, which even included President Richard Nixon.
Now, over five decades have passed since that day, and the world still witnesses its fair share of protestors and professional disruptors – people who shout for various causes, some legitimate, and others just for the sake of making noise. Like Ethel Waters, I often find myself wanting to give them all a good spanking and send them to bed without supper!
I frequently think back to that day and Ethel Waters, how she loved “All God’s Children” but was not the least bit afraid to speak the truth to them. Seeing her, Billy Graham, and other members of his Crusades, like George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows, is a cherished memory.
Perhaps hearing Ethel Waters sing “His Eye is on the Sparrow” is one of the reasons I love birdwatching. I know it might sound odd, even old ‘ladyish’ (if that’s even a word), but I’ve always had a fascination with watching birds. I personally believe there’s nothing more beautiful than catching a glimpse of an Eastern Bluebird with its stunning blue feathers as it soars by. Whenever I see a bluebird, it feels like a sign, perhaps even a ‘God Wink.’
You might be wondering what exactly is a ‘God Wink’? It’s a term used to describe a meaningful, serendipitous event or coincidence that seems to have spiritual or divine significance. I’ve experienced these ‘God Winks’ in my life, and I firmly believe that God communicates with us in various ways – through scripture, through other people, and through personal, unique signs and moments that only we and God understand.
I was reminded of the song and seeing Ms. Waters after we moved to a house near Nashville several years later. The house had woods behind it, and we decided to set up a few bird feeders in the backyard. Unfortunately, our best intentions led to a couple of birds getting caught in the feeders. One was found dead, and the other, a small grey bird, likely a sparrow, had its leg caught and partially torn off. I freed it and nursed it back to health. I kept it in a shoebox on the back porch with a bit of grass for a bed, a thimble of water, and some birdseed. After a couple of days, I released it, although I knew its chances of survival with one leg were slim.
Within a week, we had three new feeders, and I thought I had finally eliminated any potential harm. As I hung the last of the new feeders, I spotted a small grey bird, possibly a sparrow, at the edge of the woods. It was sitting under the cover of trees and bushes. I walked closer, and it didn’t fly, but instead appeared to use its wings to move further under the bushes. I didn’t want to frighten it, so I threw some birdseed to the ground and kept a watch out when our dogs were in the yard to be sure they didn’t spot the bird.
The next morning, I was enjoying my coffee on the back deck when I spotted the little bird, still hopping and flapping its wings but clearly not flying. I was deeply moved by the bird’s determination to survive. Feeling a sense of responsibility for this little bird’s predicament, I said a silent prayer, asking God to keep his eye on this particular bird. My heart sank when I heard the weather forecast predicting a cold front moving in later that afternoon. I feared this might be the end. I prayed again, tears streaming down my face, reminding God that I knew nothing was too small for Him to care about, and His Word assures us that He sees even the sparrow when it falls. Then, it happened. I saw the sparrow fly up and away, so fast that I questioned if it was the same bird. I searched around the area where I had last seen him, carefully looking under the rocks, and couldn’t find the sparrow. While I was scanning for any signs of the bird, the following scripture came to mind:
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care” Matthew 10:29 NIV.
I choose to believe and know deep down that God healed that little bird because I believed He would. It wasn’t the first time I had witnessed a private moment, an answered prayer between God and me, and it wouldn’t be the last.
