chickensIt was truly a fast moving morning. The beginning of the busy period started with Joshua, Daniel, and myself driving over to the house of our good friends the Hynes’ and checking on their chickens, since they are away for the week. We fed those chickens, filled their water pail, and gave a few of them some exercise. As we did all this, I couldn’t help but thinking how ludicrous chickens are. First, with their attempts of flying, second, their fearful attitudes, and last but not least their noisy behaviour. What comical creatures! Then a question hit me. How much different am I? How easily do I think, say, or do vain and frivolous things? How often do I become animal (or bird)-like in my attitudes?

This was convicting. As I continue thinking on this, I begin to see more and more similarities between the comical chicken and my plain own self. This can actually seem more ludicrous but the truth of it doesn’t change.

The chicken is dependent upon it’s owner and master for it’s very life. Food, water, and protection are all given from it’s owner. The chicken definitely enjoys complete freedom, where it can feast upon it’s favourite beetles and bugs with no confinements or restrictions. The chicken, however, doesn’t realize that the restrictions are for it’s benefit. Furthermore, the chicken runs from it’s master or cowers on the ground just as if a hawk was coming to pounce on it. At times, the chicken seems to percieve it’s sustainer of life as it’s greatest enemy of life’s enjoyments. How could a chicken be so ridiculous? But since I have many similarities to this feathered creature, I must also ask; how could I be so ridiculous? I so often try to live life in my own strength. I will forsake or forget God’s restrictions and commandments and then try to enjoy life independently. How could I do this? God is my master, he is the Creator and Sustainer of my life. As it says in Colossians, ”…by him are all things and by Him all things consist.” I should be only obeying God’s Laws, resting in his promises, and performing his will. Unfortunately and so often this is not the case.

How grateful I am that God’s plan is not for us to continue in our similarities to this interesting feathered friend. His goal, as should also be ours, is for us to become more and more like his Son, Jesus Christ. Who, as it says in Hebrews 12, ” …for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The providential hand of God will continue placing trials and tribulations in our life to show us our chicken like characteristics so that we can purge them from our lives. We must then develop in their place Christ like character and a greater love for Him and His Word. This should embolden us to press on and endure every difficulty placed our way and rejoice when the Chicken’s attitudes are conquered and replaced with Christ’s Character.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 11th, 2007 at 9:03 am and is filed under Family News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.