I have a rooster. I never intended to have a rooster and I'm not sure I like the rooster, but he is teaching me a lot. The first thing I learned is that roosters don't just crow in the morning. They crow all day long. It's a sound I've learned to appreciate. It lets me know all is well or that perhaps there is danger lurking nearby. The rooster knows his job and he is very good at it. His job is to protect the hens. All day long he watches over them. He moves them together through the yard. He tests out the grains first and then moves out of the way so the hens can eat. At night he makes sure all of the hens get back into the coop. He is a great asset to the flock. He will defend them to the death.
That's where I'm learning my biggest lesson. I'm learning that if Mr. Rooster and I are going to coexist, I need to stand as firm as he does. For me that means carrying a rake and never turning my back on the big guy. You laugh, but if you've ever had a rooster run at you, you know it can be a terrifying experience. They don't back down and they keep fighting.
I'm a little envious of Mr. Rooster. He is so confident and sure of his purpose. He knows what his job is and he's not afraid to do it and to shout it out in a VERY loud voice. Sometimes I wish I were a bit more like the rooster. Many times I'm like my nervous little hen. When confrontation arises, I quickly run for cover. Sometimes this might be the prudent thing to do. I know Mr. Rooster has wisely learned to stop chasing a girl with a rake. Being that girl, I have wisely learned to carry a rake at all times. I've learned to stand my ground with Mr. Rooster. I've learned to respect his role and to be more assertive and protective of what's important to me too. Like not being attacked by a rooster. You see the truth is while he may be loud and scary (like a lot of things in our world today) my role is bigger than his. I feed and care for the flock. I'm bigger than Mr. Rooster. He can crow and squawk and attack all he wants, but at the end of the day, his fate rests in my hands. So far he's been lucky to live another day.
Maybe I can carry these lessons a bit more into life. Perhaps there are places in my life where I can stand firm and hold my head up high for my beliefs. Maybe I can stand firm for God, my family and my country. Perhaps it just takes being a little more sure of my purpose, standing firm and sometimes using my voice.
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