euce, Our Timneh African Grey, loves to explore. He glides to the floor and noses around, checking out everything he sees. Sometimes it’s almost impossible to get him to stay put at all. A recent examination of his wings revealed it was time for a clip. We trim our birds’ wings for their safety in our home. We want them protected from rotating ceiling fans, picture windows, opened doors and other household hazards. Deuce gets only a light clip so that he doesn’t crash land when he tries to fly.

Deuce is a very opinionated little boy. He doesn’t feel he should get a wing clip, ever. In light of this, he fights us tooth, or beak and nail, all the way. I secure him by wrapping him in a towel, and my husband trims. As soon as Deuce sees the towel and scissors, the battle is on. First, we have to corral him. When we catch him, we flip him over on his back. He growls and struggles as if we were killing him. With each snip, he growls louder. The process doesn’t take long, and once it’s over, he’s fine.

Thankfully, he doesn’t hold grudges. A peanut fixes everything, and he is our happy little bird again. The trims usually last several months, and we have peace of mind that our curious little parrot is safe.

As parents, we do the same thing for our children. We love them and discipline them for their own safety. We give them just enough freedom to explore. Our children grow and encounter new situations. We may adjust our disciplinary actions, but their welfare is always foremost in our thoughts.

Even as adults, we do not escape discipline. Someone may admonish us in the workplace, not only out of concern for our safety but also to make us more productive.

As spouses, we may receive discipline as a reminder. It is usually meant to avoid problems or to assure that important tasks are completed. In a loving relationship, a scolding attitude is replaced with gentle counsel.

In Job 5:17, God reminds us that the people he corrects are blessed: “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” He does it out of his love for us and his unequaled concern for our well-being. When we get out of control, he clips our wings, often while we fight him all the way.

Whenever I watch Deuce crouch down into his lift-off stance, I know that he needs a certain amount of freedom. I also know he needs periodic wing trims to keep him safe and in check. He may not understand why we trim his wings, but we know it’s for his well-being.

Often, we don’t always understand God’s disciplinary measures for us, but he knows the reasons. If we accept this blessing, he will reward us with more than peanuts.