I met these chickens this week. They were calm and even inquisitive. They did not mind if I touched their feathers. They ate feed from my hand with gusto. They were three great chickens (see the beak of the third one peeking out from below the other two).
The one really strange thing is that they have adopted the top of the backyard grill as their roost. Each evening, they hop up on the grill and drift off to sleep. I’m pretty sure they do not know the irony of their situation. Right below them numerous other poultry products have been cooke to perfection for the family living just inside the door. These chickens are just a few inches above the cooking surface. Maybe they will not meet the same fate. Maybe they will offer the trade of eggs for safety in the backyard, but how can they really know?
Lots of people are playing with fire. They think short term. They think what is popular. They just want to feel good. They are not concerned with what is right, what is better, what is difficult but true. One day, it will all come home to roost. Compromising on values might generate a quick fix, but it will not sustain for the long run. Choosing preference over conviction might make you briefly happier, but when your preferences switches, when the winds of the Spirit move in another direction you are left with nothing but grill marks on your feet.
What God needs more from people is individuals that are so committed to his Word, that they will follow it no matter what. No matter if others leave, no matter if others think it’s too much, no matter the excuses people give, no matter what.