Chickens are a common sight throughout many countries I visited on mission trips. It is common to see them running around yards in the city and in the country. The sight of crates full of chickens loaded on the back of motorbikes stirs up laughter. And I even occasionally enjoyed them served on my dinner plate. The funniest encounter occurred in Argentina when I came across a chicken as a guard “dog” at a home.

On one trip to Kenya, I heard about a new restaurant that served fresh chickens. Intrigued by the description, we decided to check it out. The road trip took us down long dusty trails that masqueraded as roads. Enormous potholes caused the car to swerve and bounce wildly. My bones rattled from all the jarring. Would the journey be worth it?

Hebrews 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

As we entered the establishment, I caught sight of a large outdoor dining area surrounded by large, old Baobab trees. A long table, under the shade of the trees, beckoned us to sit and relax. The waiter arrived to explain the restaurant’s technique of preparing a meal. He instructed us to pick out a live chicken. Once selected, the poor little critter went to the kitchen to be beheaded, plucked and cooked. We all cringed at the thought. I liked my chicken fresh, but this might be a little bit too fresh. This process seemed like it might take several hours. So, we opted for something less gruesome and a little faster.

God started to pluck feathers away. One by one, He exposed the sins I hid. Click To Tweet

Eventually, during another trip, I watched the full process of preparing a chicken for dinner in Kenya. From the catching of the bird to cooking it over an open fire. The once beautiful feathers that made the bird unique plucked away, so only its nakedness was left. The method of watching the chicken go from running around the yard to a lump of breast meat on a plate saddened me slightly.

1 Corinthians 4:5 “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.”

I found myself relating to these birds in several ways. Early in my walk with Christ, I ran around as part of the world. I strutted about while hiding the real me under my brightly colored plumage. I preened and fluffed my feathers in the solemn hope that even God would not see the ugly lump of meat, which lay below. But, the verse from Hebrews 4:13 taught me otherwise, “Everything is uncovered and laid bare before Him.” As the words of the verse sunk in, God started to pluck my feathers away. One by one, He exposed the sins I hid, but Instead of serving me on a plate, God redeemed me for all eternity. He revealed my sins so that I could change my ways and continue to walk with Jesus.

We all try to hide our sinful nature from God. He sees those things in our life that we seek to disguise under a layer of beauty. Confessing the sins to God will allow Him to wash them away. Return to Him, and He will cover us with His grace.

God sees those things in our life that we seek to disguise under a layer of beauty. Click To Tweet

Blessings,

Yvonne – #blogger, #speaker, and #author

Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”