I know what you’re thinking. “Why would an eagle be in a chicken coop?” And you’re right! It shouldn’t be there! However, I am willing to bet that there are more eagles in chicken coops than you could ever possibly imagine. The story for today's devotional actually comes from an old parable I heard as a child. It left such an impression on my life that I have decided to share a bit of its philosophy with you.
A naturalist came to a farm one day to see if the rumors he heard about an eagle living like a chicken were true. He walked over to a small enclosure and saw several hens pecking and scratching the ground. To his amazement, the naturalist noticed an adult bald eagle among the group mimicking the actions of the chickens.
Puzzled by his findings, the naturalist began to question the farmer about the creatures behavior.
“I found him in an abandoned nest in the wilderness several years back and decided to bring him home as a pet. I didn’t have a cage to keep him in, so I put him in the chicken coop with the hens. After a few weeks he began to act just like them.”
“But his wings are so big!” The naturalist observed. “Doesn’t he try to fly away?”
“Well, why would he? He doesnt know what it means to fly? He was raised as a chicken. So for all intents and purposes, he is no longer an eagle, but a chicken.”
After hearing this, the naturalist was almost beside himself with disbeleif. He thought the entire idea was absurd. Convinced that the eagle was still indeed an eagle, he made a proposition to the farmer. “I bet if you give me three chances, I can make this eagle fly.”
“And if you can’t?” The farmer questioned.
“If I cant, then I’ll give you a hundred bucks.” Knowing that the eagle had never flown a day in his life, the farmer obliged.
The first thing the naturalist did was throw the eagle in the air above his head. “Fly eagle!!!” Much to his disapointment, the great bird came down with a crash.
“OK. ” The farmer remarked. “That’s one.”
The naturlaist, not wanting to give up, put the Eagle on a fence post in the center of the chicken yard. He then commanded, “Fly Eagle!!!” The bird once again found his way to the ground and began pecking at the sand for worms.
“Strike two, nature boy.”
The naturalist then had an idea. He took the farmer on a trek high into the mountains. They climbed for several hours until they reached the highest mountain’s peak. When they finally stopped, they found themselves surrounded by other eagles gliding through the skies on lofty air currents. The naturalist once again threw the eagle into the air shouting, “FLY EAGLE!!!” Now recognizing its potential and being placed in the appropriate environment, the eagle began flapping its wings and soaring through the skies above the mountain tops.
For many years, I struggled with the feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. Whenever I was among a group of people, I would suddenly begin to feel out of place. The weight of the phobia was so daunting, that I would somtimes leave my immediate surroundings just to feel a sense of relief. There were of course other times in my life when I was intentionally made to feel inadequate by a particular group. My eccentricities were magnified, riduculed, and made the butt of many jokes and rumors.
Recognizing that I was indeed different, I mistakenly began to believe these statements and internalize my bitter emotions about myself. I blamed myselffor my unpopularity and disconection from the social whole. I blamed myself for falling short of what my contemporaries said was the proper archetype. I blamed myself for being me. These beliefs were of course totally unwaranted, but I so desperately wanted to be liked, that I began to assimilate the worlds standards into my own. But like the eagle, the more I tried to become like the world, the more prominent my differences became.
There was a time in my life when I allowed my insecurities to control me. It took several years for me to figure out, but I finally realized that the emotion I was feeling was not inadequacy, but a calling to be something much greater than my surroundings would allow. My problem was that I had mistakenly been comparing myself to the chickens in the coop and not recognizing my full potential as an eagle on the mountain. My naysayers were right about one thing, though. I was out of place in the group. Why wouldn’t I be? Of course an eagle looks funny sitting in a chicken coop. It has no business being there. Its place is high among the tallest cliff faces in the world.
Can you imagine it? I can almost see Charlie Chicken and Helen Hen mocking Eddie the Eagle about his figure and appearance. I’m sure they would probably tease him about his feet being too big, ignorantly neglecting the potential in his shrapened tallons. Maybe they laughed at how his wings drug on the ground, too blind to see that they were the very same devices he would use to free himself from his enclosure. Or maybe they might say he would never fully fit with the “in” crowd not knowing they themselves were destined to fit snuggly in a cardboard bucket from KFC.
As a Believer, the world will try to make you feel less than adequate for standing out in the crowd when in fact it is they who are lacking. After all, how many chickens have you ever seen on a mountain top? In fact, the Bible clearly says we are to stand out from the status quo. 1 Peter 2:4-5 from the New International Version and 1 Peter 2:9 from the King James Version of the Bible put it this way.
4″As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:4-5 NIV
9“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;” 1Peter 2:9 KJV
This is what Paul has to say in the Book of Romans;
16“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” Romans 1:16 NIV
1“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” Romans 12:1-2 NIV
The word pecuilar means to be distinctive in nature or character from others. It also means to belong exclusively to some person, group, or thing. As Christians we belong to Christ and our God will bless us with a pure joy that the sinfull lusts of the flesh will never be able to satisfy.
The famous Christian author C.S. Lewis put it this way;
“”If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”
In this present day as a peculiar, God called people, we should be able to recognize our God given potential. This should be accomplished not by comparing ourselves with the worlds standards but by God’s. We should also be standing out in the crowd living a life unashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Remember, young Eagles. NEVER let your naysayers discourage or intimidate you from fulfilling the destiny that God has assigned you to. Fear not the heckles of your haters cursing you to a life of the mundane. For they are no more than a bunch of flightless chickens . Be Blessed, My Friends. Be an Overcomer!
Bro. Jason Z. Hunt
Memory Verse: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;” 1 Peter2:9 NIV
Memory Word1 : Peculiar: to be distinctive in nature or character from others. To belong exclusively to some person, group, or thing.
Memory Word 2: Potential: a latent excellence or ability that may or may not be developed.
Inspiring Music: “Hold On, Don’t Let Go” by Richard Smallwood
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