Nestled among the hills of Virginia was a seemingly quiet farm or at least it use to be before an arrogant rooster appeared one day. From the unusually quiet farmyard came a squawking that had not been heard before. All eyes searched the yard to see who was making all that commotion. A rooster standing proud, making himself seem ridiculous but yet noticed nevertheless. Did he not know the only job he had to do was to go cock-a-doodle do in the morning to wake up the barn creatures and welcome them to a new day – a new day given to them by God
Why did he feel he had to squawk on and on and on. The hen couldn’t stand it. She wanted peace to concentrate on laying her eggs. She would just begin to feel the peace flood over her when suddenly the squawking began and she was so frustrated that she became too tired to push the eggs out. She was just plain miserable.
The cow who had plenty of milk to give, but the farmer could not get close enough to the cow to milk him because rooster would not let them milk him. Besides that the cow was so distraught by the incessant squawking the milk had a terrible taste.
The pigs were upset by the squawking, as well. If they could they would have given the rooster a roll in the mud. The rooster was at first oblivious to the negative reactions of his fellow barnyard roomies. When he found he was not getting the attention he desired he decided to hide his head in his feathers and say nothing. He did not do his job of calling up a new day. He did not squawk.
What was wrong with Mr. Rooster thought the barnyard roomies. Hen went up to Mr. Rooster, “Are you sick?”
“No,” said the roster. He buried his head in his disheveled chest feathers and refused to talk further.
The hen went to the cow and said, “Mr. Cow something is really wrong with Mr. Rooster. Please go to him and see if you can find out what his problems is?”
“OK,” replied the cow.
The cow sundered over to the rooster’s perch. He found the rooster’s condition as the hen had found him. Rooster, Rooster mooed the cow. “Just what is your problem?”
Go away and leave me alone, get out of here and chew on your cud like you usually do. Leave me alone! He buried his head in his chest again- shutting out any further conversation.
The cow went over to the pig pen. “Mr. Piggy Wiggly, stop that frolicking in the mud. Come over here, we have a serious problem.” The pig wet with a sticky layer of mud waddled over to the edge of the pen. What is it Mr. Moo Cow?
“Well we have a real problem. Mr. Rooster will not be our morning alarm clock and say cock-a-doodle do nor is he squawking in his usual disgusting way.”
He waddled over to the Rooster whose head was still buried in his chest. Mr. Rooster oinked the pig, “What do you say I splash you with a load of mud? What in the world is the matter with you?” No more wake up calls! Hey! You are causing me to be late for my a.m. feedings and you know how much I like to eat. Come on you – get up!!!!!!!! Your attitude stinks – bad!!!!!!!!
The rooster buried himself further into his chest.
The pig was so disgusted that he threw a big glob of mud at the rooster and turned throwing his nose into air giving a loud oink to finalize what he had said.
As the pig was going to his pen he came across Horse. Pig said the Horse, you must go speak to Mr. Rooster. I tried and my emotions took over and I got no place with that old bird. I quite think that it is time he was put in the stew pot. Perhaps I’d get a morsel in my trough, although I’m betting he’d be tough as dried leather.
Okay neighed the Horse. He galloped over to the rooster. He nudged Mr. Rooster with his nose – nothing happened. He nudged again. This time the rooster peeked at him with one eye. “What do you want?” said the rooster. “Can’t you see, I want to be left alone?” The Horse nudged Mr. Rooster until finally he spoke. “OK, I’m sad. No one likes me. I may as well not live.”
“What? What? queried the Horse. The only reason the animals have trouble with you is that you don’t do your job and then for the longest time you squawked and squawked causing us not to be able to do ours. You Mr. Rooster are off track! God gave you a job and you forgot to focus on that one thing. There is no excuse for your behavior, whatsoever! I’ll admit I should have told you in the beginning when you did that, and I’ll take responsibility for that mistake. Now what are you going to do? Why do you squawk when we are doing our jobs – what was behind that????!!!!!!!”
Mr. Rooster hesitantly spoke, “Well, well I’ve done some not so good things in my life. I really want people to recognize I have talent. “By squawking?!” “I just want people to notice me,” the Rooster bitingly replied.
“Sounds like a lot of anger to me. Yep, they’ll notice you all right! Most would send you to the stew pot and say good riddance now we can get our jobs done.”
“Anger! Anger! Yes I could peck through concrete, I get so angry sometimes! Yelled Rooster. I’m a bubbling pot ready to explode. What do I do with that?” “Take it to Jesus and the rest of us will pray for deliverance and for Jesus to give you peace of mind. Just do your job?”
Dear Reader, Rooster has a choice – does he receive the peace and do his job or does he end up in the stew pot? What do you think? We like the rooster have a choice in life to follow Jesus or remain in our self ways.
By Rena K. Oynes © 2003
thedailylily.com 
Point well taken, Rena. I guess in the vernacular we could say, just do the job God has appointed for you to do and ‘shut up!’
If that sounds rather harsh, just remember that Holy Spirit knows the particular or peculiar manner and how to speak to each of us so that we will UNDERSTAND. There is an old joke that Sister Grandma used to tell, that I am para-phrasing. It goes to this effect: Someone complained to God that He has used very strict and rough measures to deal with him. . “why did you have to be so rough? the Christian bewailed. God answered…becuase when I speak sweetly to you YOU DON’T LISTEN!!”
Anger, pride and arrogance, loudly complaining (one of the definitions for squawk), self-pity, hindering others…rooster is sure in a sin pit. Sounds like his barnyard friends are confronting him on it. I pray he will choose to take the steps that I have heard Sara teach on: face it, admit it, change it.
Yes we all want to be noticed, but what we think is our best talent might not be what Jesus thinks is our best talent. Mr. Rooster needs to seek Jesus and pray for what Jesus wants him to be doing. Sometimes it takes
along time for us to hear or find out what that talent is, but if we have patients God will give us an answer. While we are waiting for the answer we need to listen to the friends around us not just hide or give up. Also by reading Gods word it may begin to guide us in the path Jesus wants us to go.
Precisely, Kathy. Maybe more than wanting to be noticed we should push for wanting to be “noted by the Lord”. So, then, when we stand before Him at the last He can say “I noticed you and noted that you were listening and obedient to My will. Well done good and faithful servant
Yes Kathy it does take us a long time sometimes to recognize the talent God gave us that was so evident to others all along. True friends in Jesus always let us know the truth about our talent.
Story and comments make me think of phrases my husband uses often in his teachings. 1) Don’t think more highly of yourself then you ought 2) Don’ think less of yourself than you should
OK Mr. Rooster, get a life
Mr. Rooster reminds me somewhat of the Scripture in 1Cor. 14 :7-9 where Paul is teaching about the CERTAIN SOUND vs. an UNCERTAIN or untimely or muffled sound. He says to the effect, if the trumpeter (Rooster in this case) doesn’t give the proper sound at the proper time…who will be prepared to go to the battle (work, jobs, school) etc.
Jesus even counted on the rooster to mark a prophetic time line. He knew Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crowed. Had the rooster crowed too early, been unfocused or busy at some other job, Jesus’ prohecy would not have been fulfilled because there was a time element involved in the rooster’s job and its relationship to Peter. Also, hearing that certain, trumpter sound MG refers to must have sent cold chills down Peter’s spine, jarring him to remembrance of what Jesus had said to him.
Sounds to me the rooster is so busy trying to get the world’s attention and not so busy getting God’s attention. When we focus on people, trying to get their attention and get their approval, our focus is on the wrong thing. We should not live our lives trying to get people to focus on us. This will cause them to become distracted and lose their focus as well, causing much frustration. If we are not focused on the Lord, our focus is off. Our sins will manifest in our hearts causing us to be bitter, anger, frusterated and depressed. Much like the rooster and his “friends”. The key to depression is the focus on self. If we are distracted we are not be able to do our jobs the way we need to. Our focus God should be so intense that nothing can turn our eyes off of him. A few days ago, I was eatting my dinner and my little dog was at my feet. He watch me take every bite of food. Although their were many distractions around him, he never took his eyes off of me. His intense eyes watching every motion I made. Nothing turn his eyes off of me. The Lord put on my heart, this is what I needed to do. I need to stay at my Lord’s feet and intensly focus on him with out ceasing. With this kind of focus, the many distractions will not affect me, and I will have peace. Just like my little dog, his desire for just one little bite of food was so intense. He never moved from his spot and he never turned his head. His intense focus on me caused me to give him alittle piece of my food. Of course, he was so thankful that he wagged his little tale, ate the food and then wanted more. If we have an intense focus on our Lord, He will give us our hearts desires. We will have peace in our hearts and the Lord will keep us fed. If the rooster had this kind of focus for the Lord, he would have been able to do his job. If the other animals in the barnyard had this kind of focus, they would have been able to handle the distractions better. My little dog has taught me alot about intense focus.
Debi, that was a good point you made about the rooster and Peter.
We have all heard and used the phrase, “actions speak louder than words!” Have you ever noticed how many roosters we have around us in a given day dressed and acting like this story rooster. Chickenfarmer said it, ” Sounds to me the rooster is so busy trying to get the world’s attention and not so busy getting God’s attention.”
If someone does not comment on our clothes, new hair style, or new nails that we have just spent all our money and time on then we fall apart. OOOOPS, I think the story said, ‘rooster buried his head in his chest.” Maybe he should get rid of those clothes and buy some more so someone will give him his due attention. I think we should design a line of clothes called “squawk, squawking, and squawked.” We might just get rich! Have you had friends that when you tried to have a little simple coffee with them their clothes squawked so loud it jarred the room. (save your comments about me…I know I have done it too many times myself and I repent-hopefully, that was when I really did not know better and was still in darkness).
Wendy’s doggie story reminds me of a little song Debi plays and sings with her guitar. “One thing is needful…” What is the rest of the song Debi, sing it???
It’s like wearing a wedding gown with veil to Starbucks or worse, skimpy- this and flimsy-that and slinky-the-other-thing to go grocery shopping. What we should be wearing, man and woman alike, is the helmet of salvation that protects our minds and souls from the evil and ugly worldly distractions and harrassment to our spirits.
Our feet will be beautiful in the sandals of the Gospel of peace as we take that wherever we walk. The shield of faith and the belt of truth are very elegant accessories and as we go about our daily routine or to church, a party or dinner or work or whatever….instead of their being attracted to US they will be attracted to HIM for we will be wearing the Christ, His mantle and His robes of righteousness.
I love your doggie scenario, CF. It reminds me of the Gospel story of the woman beseeching Jesus to come and heal her daughter. He told her that healing was the children’s bread but she petitioned….Yes Lord, but even the little doggies eat from the crumbs that fall from the Master’s table. AMEN!
Sara you said/asked: “One thing is needful…” What is the rest of the song Debi,…”
One thing is needful
And that’s to really know Him
For without You, Lord,
Where would I go….
What would I do?
One thing is needful
And I will do that good part
To sit at His feet
And hear the words He speaks to my heart.
(I don’t know the author)
Hey MG, cool wardrobe.
It’s sort of like….ONE SIZE FITS ALL….(that is if WHOSOEVER WILL) ~~~