I climbed a peak recently and except for the few other hikers elsewhere on the trail, I had a quiet, peaceful place alone, all to myself, with a bird’s-eye view of the majestic, distant, far higher peak, and the forested valleys and hills that stretched down and before me from where I sat and ate my lunch while perched on a rock.
A bird’s-eye view is idiomatic for perspective, seeing the big picture, getting a lay of the lay of the land, charting a course for the journey ahead, how we get from here to there.
Human relationships need a bird’s-eye view.
Birds that fly south for the winter, for example, do so for survival. As winter approaches and the availability of food sources drops, migrating birds take wing for warmer climes.
On the other hand, the idiom “go south,” with regards relationships, suggests these human ‘birds of a feather’ are very much in danger of parting asunder, their survival very much in doubt.
“Go south” can mean “to escape, vanish, disappear; to deprecate, to lose quality or value; to cease working or functioning; to quit, fail, or fall apart.”
All of the above are likely consequences in a relationship that lacks one very significant, ‘dare-not-fly-south-without-it’ quality.
“What do wives want in a husband?” writes Pastor Wayne Muri. And for that matter, what do husbands want in a wife? “Employees want in a boss? Athletes in a coach? Students in a teacher?”
Gentleness says Pastor Muri.
“When we’re treated with harshness, we pull away to lick our wounds and the relationship suffers. We feel attacked, condemned, diminished – and in the process become defensive rather than learning and growing.”
Birds do not have GPS but can find their way.
Humans have GPS on their phones but without GPM on their heart they will get lost.
GPM stands for Gentle, Patient, and Meek.
Next time you sense the feathers are about to fly, check your GPM relationship navigational guide.
