Deuteronomy 22:6

"If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way, in any tree, or on the ground, with young ones, or eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young: thou shalt surely let the dam go, but the young thou mayest take unto thyself; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days."

The amazing thing here is that long life and prosperity are promised upon a condition which some might be tempted to view as secondary or trivial, but that is not the case. Nothing is any more important than the preservation of the various species of life upon the planet, and the maintenance of that ecological balance upon which all life depends. The Jewish writers explained this amazing promise on the basis that here is a test of man's inherent selfishness. "The observance of this commandment teaches man to fight his egotism for the common good ... The observance of this commandment symbolizes the repudiation of selfishness."[9] However, there must be more to this promise than is indicated by such an answer. Rabbi Akiba supposed the case of a man who climbed a tower and took the young from a nest, sparing the dam in accordance with the Law. But on the way down he falls and breaks his neck.

"Where is the `going well and prolonging of days' in this case?"[10] "The truth of the resurrection of the dead is implied in all the promises of reward attached to the keeping of the Law."[11] The same also applies in Exodus 20:12.

In this context, take a look at Luke 21:16-18, where in the same breath Jesus promised his apostles that some of them would be put to death and that "not a hair of your head shall perish." The meaning of all such passages is simply this: "Whatever may happen to my body, my wealth, my friends, my family, or my reputation, or my position in life, nothing, absolutely nothing can happen to me; for I am in Christ.