My venture with chickens has turned my backyard into a classroom.
Chickens are greedy. They will take a large piece of food and run off to enjoy the treat alone. They do not share well.
Chickens are slow learners. If food is on one side of the fence and they are on the other side, they cannot seem to find the doorway, though its just a few feet away.
Chickens like to scratch. They especially like mulch and garden soil much to my displeasure.
Chickens are ..........well they are chicken. Their only defense is RUN!
Chickens are curious. Their curiosity will lead them across the road or into the neighbor's garage looking for a handout.
Chickens have an enormous appetite. For a creature weighing only 4-6 lbs. they are always ready for a snack.
Making the same mistake repeatedly is common for a chicken. They have lived in my backyard for 20 months but still they frequently fly into the safety net over their coop. I look at them and say, "C'mon girls, what are you thinking? You know that net is there." I swear sometimes I hear them muttering back, "Stupid net....where did that come from?"
In our Bible reading we have just finished one of the darkest moments in the history of Israel. The ten northern tribes have been invaded, conquered and deported. The reasons given are very clear. They rejected God Almighty and worshiped the little gods of the nations around them. They rejected every warning given them. They were curious to explore and scratch the ways of other cultures. They had an enormous appetite for pleasure. They were slow to learn. They repeated the same mistakes. When the enemy showed up they could only retreat inside their city of Samaria for a horrible three year siege.
Now you'd think the southern nation of Judah would take note. From a distance they had observed the destruction of their brothers to the north. They had time to analyze and make a course correction. But no, just like chickens who are slow to learn, Judah followed the same path. They too rejected God Almighty and paid the price.
Samaria in the north fell in 722 BC. Jerusalem in the south fell in 586 BC.
What will it take for you to stop repeating the same mistake?
How far has your curiosity led you from home?
How many warnings will it take to get your attention?
Have you been paying attention to the consequences others have paid for poor decisions?
Are you smarter than a chicken?
Loving God means putting him first, above all else. Wondering away from this one priority has severe consequences.
Be strong and courageous, Mike