This morning, I walked out of my bedroom and gazed out the back windows, as I always do. It was pretty quiet out there. Not a lot of movement. But just as I was turning to go into the kitchen, I noticed the lone bird at the very top of the tallest tree.

Oddly, it made me think of the series West Wing.

(I know. What can I say? My brain, she works a little differently.)

I know I’ve mentioned it before, but we are big fans of the show, having watched it in its entirety when it originally aired, and several times since then. We recently wrapped it up yet again.

The seat in the Oval is a very lonely place. Far above the rest of the country – the world – in power, its occupant is often ostracized from one group or another, never pleasing all the people all of the time. But whoever is seated there asked for it. They desired that seat, campaigned for it, and were willing to take whatever came with it for their chance at making history.

Sometimes, though, we place the people in our own lives high above the rest. Precariously perched on the very top branch of our lives, we put them in a position that they did not ask for, saddling them with expectations that are not part of their job description, and setting them up to fall with the first hard gust of wind. Which is exactly what happened to that bird, by the way.

But birds can fly. People can’t.

There is only One who should be at the top of our lives. One Who can fill every expectation, and handle any windy day because He commands the wind.

If you’ve got someone in your life, perched high, and lonely, show them some love today and gently help them down. Make some room for the One who belongs there.

Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. ~ Mark 4:39 MSG

No other gods, only me. No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don’t bow down to them and don’t serve them because I am God, your God… ~ Exodus 20:3-4 MSG