Millo, a tiny sparrow with a broken wing, sits alone high on a tree. Then, sad and lonely, he hears the voice of Jesus say, "Spread your wings and fly." Millo is afraid; this is higher than he has ever flown before. His mother nudged him off the nest when he was a young chick. Instead of spreading his wings at the right time, he fell and broke a wing. As a result, he was left as an orphan because he could not fly. Heartbroken, he couldn't understand why his mother abandoned him. As tears roll down his precious little beak, he cries out to God, 

"Why should I spread my wings to fly? What if I stumble? What if I fall? What if I break my good wing?

O Lord, Where would I go? Where would I feel safe? Maybe a cage will do; at least there, I will have everything I need, just me in this tiny cage. But, I am afraid; Lord, why I should spread my wings to fly?"

Jesus responds in a tender voice, 

"I have a lot I want to show you. Things you cannot see from where you are, how would you see something that is far and wide. We have a long journey ahead, and together we will accomplish the things I planned long ago—me in you and you in me. If you fall, I will catch you; I am the One who holds you. You are safe in My loving arms. Why should you spread your wings to fly? So that you may soar!"

Meanwhile, Joppa the Ostrich comes along carrying a small bag of dry crumbs. Joppa was very concerned about him and wanted to cheer him up. But, unfortunately, Millo had been very quiet; Joppa couldn't find him.

"Millo, say's Joppa, there you are; I've been looking for you. Why haven't you answered me when I called for you?"

"I just wanted to be alone for a while. I have a lot on my mind," Millo responds.

So what's in the bag?" Millo asks as he gets a whiff of something good.

"This? Oh, nothing, just dry crumbs," Joppa replies.

"Joppa, Millo sadly says. "Why would someone who should love you unconditionally fly away and abandon you?"

"I don't know; want some dry crumbs"? 

 Joppa tenderly responds as she sits on a rock beneath the limb.

"No, Millo snaps! I don't want dry crumbs. Can you please answer my question!"

"Well, how about I share this bag of dry crumbs with you?" Maybe they will help you feel better, at least for a moment." Say's Joppa.

"And why would I want to feel better for just a moment if my heart is heavy with questions? How are dry crumbs going to help me?" Millo says, slightly irritated.

Millo, do you remember the story about Job when he lost everything? Joppa gently responds." 

"Yes," Millo replies. She goes on to tell the story about Job and his friends. "Because of his sadness, God sent his friends to comfort him.

At first, they were very wise to sit with Job and keep quiet. As you did, Millo, when I was sad. But unfortunately, Job's friends thought they were wise, but instead, they just gave him dry crumbs. He needed friends to listen to him, not friends to make him feel worse."