The Chicken that was Really an Eagle

There was once an eagle that was raised along with barn yard chickens (the natural man).  She did not fly.  She had nothing to know she was an Eagle.  Until one day a beautiful Golden Eagle flew across the sky, blocking the sun one day with his enormous wings.  For one moment she saw his shadow.  Then he was gone.  She only saw Him for a moment but it was long enough to stir something deep inside her.  She wanted to soar like that!

She began to flap her golden wings, strengthening them.  The others laughed at her.  Chickens they were.  So for a moment she went back to pecking seeds from the earth, just like everybody else.  Being told she should feel glad for whatever she got.  But inside her, there was a place that was empty, so empty.  Somehow she knew that beautiful Golden Eagle would fill that empty space.  She continued to strengthen her wings, in spite of the laughter around, the cackling. There were even some more eagles like her, but they merely watched her efforts cautiously and continued to peck seeds like the chickens.

One day the farmer’s son, a vicious boy, came home from college.  He’d always hated the chickens at his father’s farm—and especially the eagles that didn’t’ fly.  He hated their beauty and the fact that someday they’d learn who they were and fly away from his father.  He had always warned him that they might someday fly away.  He just couldn’t, wouldn’t let that happen!  His father was their master!  And someday he wanted to own them too.  Didn’t his father give them scratch feed?   Was that not enough?  So with anger he went out to the barnyard, seeing the one eagle practicing flight.  This must not be!  At first he tried starving her, until she nearly died.  No, this would not work.  Then he made a special nest for her, very comfortable and fed her fish by hand, thinking that if he made her so comfortable she wouldn’t find out who she was.  But then she still practiced her wing flapping.  Ungrateful hen!  

One day in a fit of rage, and tired of her determination to leave his care, he pushed the eagle off a cliff.   At first she faltered and swirled down into space; down, down she fell.  Then she remembered the golden eagle's big wings, and opened her wings.  She stopped falling!  She started to glide…and what wonder, what joy!  Flapping her wings, she started to fly!  Feeling freedom unlike anything she had ever experienced.  And the view!  No more dusty ground or squabbling chickens pestering her.  No more farmers’ son hovering around her with his evil intentions.  Soon she was soaring above the trees around the farm.  She looked down and saw the chickens below still pecking at the ground, completely unaware that the sky could be so wonderful.  Nothing changed for them.  But her whole life changed in that instance of flight.  The wind rushed smoothly around her in a caress.  The sunshine warmed her whole being --and the view!  There were mountains and rivers and other homes.  Places to go explore and new sights to see called to her.  She cried out encouragement to the few eagles on the grounds who were watching her flight, and headed towards the purple mountains in the distance, eagerly anticipating what awaited her there. 

Her wings are Truth--Her strength is Righteousness--And the mountain is Faith

The eagle felt somewhat guilty for leaving those poor chickens behind.  Knowing they’d never fly.

Being members of the Church of the Firstborn makes us Eagles.  But until we see the shadows of soaring eagles and feel that emptiness inside, like we are missing something, we won’t fly.

The first “eagle” to fly was Jesus the Christ; The Way, the Truth and the Light.  Can chickens become eagles?  Yes!   We were all chickens before we were eagles.  When they go into the magic waters of baptism we come out as eagles.  But we will continue to peck on the ground for seeds until the emptiness overwhelms us and we start to LOOK UP.  Then we will see the eagles soaring and feel a glimmer of HOPE.

  

The chickens that become unhappy with pecking in the dust, waiting for someone else to feed them, will look for them, will look for the soaring golden eagle and find the magical waters of baptism. There, the Holy Ghost is given as a gift to “always have” as they “remember Jesus the Christ”.  The Holy Ghost is the wings of the eagle.  Listening and obeying the Spirit are the exercises of flying, because without exercising faith, the wings are useless.  Eagles must work for food, but are free that way—and can fly.

Chickens cannot fly and must wait for someone to feed them, or peck in the dirt.  They are usually kept in cages as well.  Chickens wait to be fed by their preachers, ministers, or others.  Eagles look for their own food and are provided for by the God of Heaven. 

Love is circular; you must love, truly yourself first, until you can love others.  Otherwise, you are always looking to them for their love.  And when they don’t give it, we resent it.  Love yourself and then others can love you.  Serve and love others and then there will something to love about yourself. 

A note in my journal written by Daniel at Stake Conference;

They believe that everyone but them will make it.  But the good news is that we can ALL make it.  “A long time ago I committed to follow Christ, so I do what I can and the Lord will do the rest.  The Savior paid the price for our sins-- He will decide when he will forgive.”  Help them know He loves them and to regain their confidence.