Pigeon or Dove?

“But the Lord said to Samuel,  ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ ” – 1 Samuel 16:7 Would you rather be a pigeon or a dove? This is a trick question. Most people probably think they’d rather be a dove. We often see pigeons as dirty city birds, while doves are symbols of peace and beauty. But what if I told you that these two birds are actually the same? Interestingly, pigeons and doves belong to the same family, the Columbidae, which comprises 310 different species. There is no real difference in their form. Our views of these birds come from images, descriptions, and personal experiences. We value them differently in our culture. Pigeons are often seen as dark,

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” – 1 Samuel 16:7 Would you rather be a pigeon or a dove? Though it’s kind of a trick question, my guess is that your gut reaction is to say that you’d prefer to be a dove. While we often think of pigeons as city rats with wings and associate them with dirt and grime, doves are a symbol of peace and are regarded as pure and beautiful. But what if I told you that these two birds, as different as they appear, are actually the same? Interestingly, they are part of a species called Columbidae, and there are 310 different varieties that we simply categorize as