At the last possible moment his grip on the branch loosened just enough so that he swung downward, then tightened again, bulldog tenacious. The parent was without sentiment. He pecked at the desperately clinging talons until it was more painful for the poor chick to hang on than risk the insecurities of flying. The grip was released, and the inexperienced wings began pumping. The mature swallow knew what the chick did not that it would fly that there was no danger in making it do what it was perfectly designed to do.
Birds have feet and can walk.
Birds have talons and can grasp a branch securely. But flying is their characteristic action, and not until they fly are they living at their best, gracefully and beautifully. Like the young swallows, you and I want to hang on to our Cracker Jack limbs of life, gorging ourselves on all we can lay hold of. When we do, the sinful consequences of our actions begin pecking at our grip in painful ways. God allows us to experience this pain as a result of our sin so that our grip on our self-created security might be loosened.