Woodpeckers

On a morning run this past week, as I ran past some barren winter trees along my trail, a distinct rhythmic tapping sound got my attention. Not too high above me, a woodpecker was at work chipping away at the trunk of a large tree with steady determination.

I paused long enough to spot him clearly: a ladder-backed woodpecker, no more than six inches long, with a bright red head and bold black-and-white stripes along his back and wings.

 As I watched, he pecked for a while, then paused. He leaned back as if inspecting his progress.  The tiny craftsman then shifted his angle, and went back to work. Peck after peck, slowly and deliberately, he was carving a near-perfect circle into that tree – a circle that would eventually become his nest.

A dove sat on a higher branch, watching him too. Honestly, both of us just stared. I couldn’t tell if the dove was annoyed by the racket or jealous, but I was impressed. 

This little bird wasn’t frantic and he wasn’t working in a random way either.  He was precise.  He was consistent.  He was fully committed to the task in front of him.

As far as I could tell, he was just getting started. This wasn’t where he’d rest his head tonight. This was going to take days – maybe weeks. But he must have had a vision in mind and with that, he was willing to do the steady, unglamorous work it would take to get there. 

Later, I learned something fascinating. Woodpeckers are uniquely designed for this exact kind of work. Their neck muscles are specially adapted to absorb the force of repeated impact. Their brains fit tightly inside their skulls, minimizing movement and preventing concussion, even while pecking 20 to 25 times per second and enduring incredible G-forces!

 These little guys were built to keep showing up.  And for you and me, that’s how growth works in every area of life.

Healthy bodies aren’t built overnight.  You’ve got to get your reps in log before your results are visible.  Strong minds aren’t formed by accident.  Declarations and focused decisions course-correct your thought life day-in, and day-out.  Deep faith doesn’t develop in one emotional moment, either.  It all comes from thoughtful, purposeful, consistent effort—showing up again and again, even when progress feels slow.

Chip at it day by day; angle by angle, and eventually, the breakthrough comes, the wholeness appears, and the work reveals something beautiful.  Check out this woodpecker proverb:  

Indolence wants it all and gets nothing; the energetic have something to show for their lives. Proverbs 13:4 (The Message).  

When it’s all said and done, I want to have something to show for my life!

Until then, let’s all take a page out of the woodpecker’s book.

Let’s live with purpose.

Let’s work and grow with thoughtful precision.  

Let’s stay committed for the long haul. 

And lions, let’s just keep showing up!