Little Black Gift Givers

I was talking with a contractor outside my home yesterday when a noise in the woods just behind my home caught my attention. I’ve heard the sound before, several times recently in fact, but I have never been able to figure out what it was. It sounds almost mechanical, like a loud belt rubbing, but not quite.

Curious, I asked him, “Hey, do you by chance know what’s making that sound?”

He didn’t hesitate. “A raven.”

I was shocked. A raven? I had no idea they could make sounds like that. He told me they have many different calls and are incredible mimics. He even shared a story about being down at the dock one day and hearing a strange creaking sound. At first, he thought it was just the rope stretching and rubbing against the pier, but then he realized it wasn’t the rope at all. It was a raven, perfectly imitating the sound of the rope.

Until recently, I didn’t even realize I was surrounded by ravens. When I first moved to Alaska, I mistook them for crows. Back in Southern Oregon, I had plenty of crows around, so I assumed these were they. It wasn’t until two or three weeks ago or so that a friend here in Haines corrected me. She had a picture of two ravens on her back deck and I mistook them for crows. Rude! Ravens are larger than crows, their throat feathers are more shaggy, and their deep, almost eerie calls are distinct from that of a crow. But there is more to it.

Ravens have a much wider range of sounds and calls. Both ravens and crows are known for their distinctive "cawing" sound, but ravens have a bigger variety of vocalizations, including deep, resonant calls and even playful sounds. Crows are more limited in their vocal repertoire, according to my online search today.

I am fascinated by them! A woman here told me she once witnessed a group of ravens form a perfect circle around another raven on the ground, cocking their heads as if trying to understand or communicate. Another person shared how a raven had brought them a gift, a shiny rock, after they had shown it kindness. I hope that is me one day. I hope I have a raven friend of my own! Maybe, if I’m lucky, one will decide to leave me a little treasure too. But that got me thinking...

These intelligent, mysterious birds remind me of one of my favorite stories, the story of Elijah.

It was during a time of extreme drought and famine, and God had told Elijah to go to the brook Cherith, where he would find water. But what about food? Well, that is where the ravens came in.

"And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook." 1 Kings 17:6 ESV

Elijah had everything he needed in the middle of a severe, widespread, drought. He had a babbling brook with cool, fresh water, and each morning and evening, ravens brought Elijah bread and meat. It kept him alive until the next chapter of this story and there certainly is much more to this story. But that's for another time.

I wonder if the ravens brought him any little trinket or gift; some little thing that would make him smile, as it would any one of us.

I love this story! It shows how God can provide in the most unexpected ways! And I think our Creator rather enjoys using His different species to benefit one another. But the bottom line here should be, we have nothing to worry about!

Paul wrote "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 ESV

Indeed!

We can have the confidence and security of God's support and protection. We can claim ultimate victory and assurance that no opposition can overcome God's will for our lives. And friend, if God can use ravens to feed a prophet, then surely He is capable of taking care of you.

by Jeanette Stark - Thursday, March 27, 2025