My Dearest Nieces,
I have another story for you. This one is about a fox
whose favorite dinner is chickens. The story is really about people who
act like foxes. Always watch and be on guard. You never know when the
fox will be back with another plan to draw you into his clutches.
How to Serve the Flock
Sammy the Fox was lying in the grass, being very
still. The spring sun was warm on his slick red coat. He was watching
seven chickens. His eyes followed every move they made. All afternoon
Sammy had been in the grass creeping closer and closer to the little
group of birds. Now he was almost close enough to rush out and grab one
for supper.
There were big chickens and little chickens. Brown
chickens and white ones. They all looked delicious to Sammy. But he had
his heart set on a nice, fat red hen, who was slowly pecking the ground
nearer and nearer to his hiding spot in the grass.
Another foot closer should be enough, Sammy thought.
The fat hen turned her head sideways to look at a bug. She quickly bent
to pick it up in her beak. Then, she took a slow step toward Sammy. She
had no idea Sammy was so close. She was watching for bugs, not
foxes.
Sammy was becoming very excited. He could almost
taste the drumsticks. He gathered his rear feet under him a little
better, moving them around for a good grip on the ground. He tensed
every muscle in his body. His eyes were glued to the hen. He strained
forward. One more step should be close enough. Then his empty stomach
growled.
All the chickens stopped what they were doing. They
all looked at the grass where Sammy was hiding. They cocked their heads
this way and that, listening, puzzled by the unfamiliar sound, but ready
for anything.
Sammy realized it was now or never. The nice, fat
chicken was not really close enough yet. But in another moment the whole
flock might take wing. All at once he sprang forward, a blur of red fur!
He dove for the fat hen. There was a great deal of chicken cackling and
squawking. Wings beat the air frantically. Dust hid everything for a few
moments.
When the air cleared, there was Sammy stretched out
on the ground clutching one, lone tail feather. Not a chicken was
anywhere in sight. Sammy just lay still with his eyes tightly closed,
gritting his teeth. No chicken tonight he thought. In fact, he couldn't
remember when he had his last chicken dinner.
Sammy started for home, his head hung low to the
ground and his tail dragging. Maybe he'd just have a peanut butter
sandwich instead. There had to be an easier way to catch chickens. All
the way home he thought about it. There must be some way he could have
all the chickens he wanted. He thought so hard that he missed his turn
and ended up at the beaver pond.
He watched the beavers swimming back and forth to
shore for awhile. They were cutting and storing branches under water for
the coming winter. Beavers didn't have to leave their pond in winter to
eat. They planned ahead. This seemed like a very important idea to
Sammy, but he couldn't quite tell why. There was something similar
about branches and chickens. But what was it?
Later that night, Sammy lay sleeping, his head full of
dreams. He dreamed of chickens and chicks. He dreamed of beavers and
branches. He dreamed of fried chicken, chicken soup and chicken
sandwiches. He dreamed of a thing no one had ever thought of before,
something called the State! When he woke in the morning, the answer to
the chicken problem was right there in his head! Store chickens like
beavers store branches. He quickly wrote it down on a notepad so he
wouldn't forget. There were six steps needed for all the chicken he
could ever want.
That very morning, before the sun was as high as the big
pine tree at the edge of the field, Sammy was well started on step one.
He was building a schoolhouse. It was to be larger than any other
building in the valley. This wasn't hard since all the rest were hollow
trees and burrows dug in the ground. Sammy wanted it to be very solid
and important looking. By three o'clock that afternoon he was finished.
And it was beautiful! Really very impressive!
In step two, Sammy had to change his image with the
chickens. Instead of being afraid of him, the chickens must trust him.
Instead of running away, they must be glad to see him. Sammy bought a
fine new jacket and a Derby hat. He took voice lessons and learned to
talk with authority in a solemn voice that inspired confidence. He
slicked his hair back and sported a fine pair of spectacles. Sammy
looked very trustworthy and educated. The change was so great that when
he chanced to meet his old friend Willy the Weasel along the way, Willy
did not even know him!
Next, Sammy spent several days writing a book. It was
big and heavy and every bit as important looking as the schoolhouse and
Sammy himself. On its front cover, in lovely gold lettering, were the
words: How to Serve the Flock. Writing this book was step
three.
Sammy knew step four was the hardest part of his
plan. Now he must approach the chickens and convince them of his good
intentions. He located the flock under the grape arbor taking a nap in
the drowsy warmth of the afternoon. Bees were buzzing at nearby
blossoms. A few puffy clouds floated in the blue sky. Altogether it was
a very pleasant time of day. With his new book under his arm, and his
best smile on his face, Sammy walked over to David, the wise old
rooster. If he could fool David, he felt certain he could fool the other
chickens as well. Sammy cleared his throat and waited politely to be
noticed.
After some moments, David opened one eye and looked
Sammy over from head to toe. Not recognizing him, David said, "Good
afternoon, Sir. Is there something I can do for you?"
"My name is Samuel and, actually, it's what I can do
for you, and the good of all chickens, that brings me here on such a fine
afternoon." As he spoke, he made a dramatic sweep of his arm that took in
the peaceful landscape. "I see," said David who still had only one eye
open, "What, exactly, have you in mind?"
"Well, it is my fondest hope to improve the lot of
chickens. To that end I have recently built a very fine schoolhouse. I
am now offering a free education to every chick," Sammy said brightly,
with a dazzling grin, and a slight bow of his head. David considered
this for a moment, then replied, "Chickens have gotten along without
education since the world began. What need have we of your education?"
David's open eye closed halfway.
Sammy was ready for this question. But just then the
fat red hen caught his eye. He nearly rushed to grab her and run off!
But that would ruin his plans. Sammy struggled for control, knowing if
he could be patient, he'd never have to chase after chickens again.
"You have the wisdom of great age," Sammy told David
with conviction, "but young chicks are foolish and easily fall prey to
hawks, owls and foxes. It is my aim to educate them against these and
other dangers. They shall also be taught reading, writing and
arithmetic. But most importantly, they must learn about the new idea
that has come into the world, the idea of the State. Be assured that I
have great love for all chickens." Which was very true, indeed, thought
Sammy, especially when served with bread, hot from the oven, and lots of
butter!
He continued slyly, "My dearest wish is to obey the
State by serving chickens morning, noon and night. This book here under
my arm is my guide. As you can see its title is, 'How to Serve the
Flock'." Sammy displayed his book with some pride, but was
careful not to let anyone look inside.
By now a crowd had gathered around David and Sammy.
There were approving oohs and aahs as they admired the handsome book.
This well-dressed gentleman had the best interest of chickens at heart.
That made them want to trust him. David could see that the hens were
eager to send their chicks to the new schoolhouse. At the very least, it
would be like a free babysitter.
So David said to Sammy, "Very well, Samuel my friend.
We shall send our chicks to your school starting first thing tomorrow
morning. And we thank you very kindly. We shall all enjoy learning about
this new thing called the State and what it means for us."
This was almost too easy, thought Sammy. He was so
excited! Chickens, chickens, lovely chickens coming to him on their own!
Had there ever been a fox half as clever as he? He bid David and the
flock good day with a tip of his hat as he hurried for home, happily
hopping from one foot to another.
Now for the next step in his plan, number five. Sammy
took five pounds of flour from the flour bin and mixed it with enough
water to make a paste. Then he gathered all his old newspapers and his
paint set. He fashioned a giant, hollow papier-mâché chicken head. Its
cold eyes had no mercy in them. Its cruel beak could be made to move
like it was talking. Sammy painted it in blue and white with blood red
comb and wattles. The overall effect was very frightening. It even
scared Sammy himself when the light was just right.
Bright and early the next morning, Sammy was sitting
on a stool in the front left corner of the classroom as all the little
chicks came in. They peeped and cheeped and chattered at one another as
they each found a desk to sit at. Their mothers had instructed them to
obey Sammy and not to make trouble. This first day of school was the
most exciting thing ever!
School Begins
At exactly nine o'clock, the bell rang. The peeping
and cheeping and chattering continued without a pause. Suddenly, Sammy
rose to his feet and shouted at the top of his lungs, "QUIET!" Rulers
and pencils and notebook paper went flying in all directions. Silence
fell over the room. Sammy glared sternly at each chick in turn.
Sammy knew that if these chicks were ever going to
serve the State, he must condition them at an early age never to
challenge authority. He said in clear, precise words, "Sit down, face
the front, and fold both hands on top of your desk. I have never in my
life seen such a rude and undisciplined class. In the future you will
enter this room quietly, take your seat, and wait for class to begin.
Are there any questions?"
Any questions? Why, the chicks had never been spoken
to in this manner by anyone. They could not even think, let alone come
up with a question. They stared fearfully at Sammy and waited.
"Good. Then we will begin the school day with the
pledge of allegiance. All rise, stand beside your desk and place your
right wing over your heart."
Then Sammy pulled the curtains over the window
making the room dark. He opened a panel high on the front wall with a
lever under his desk. He turned on a light mounted on the ceiling. As if
floating in mid-air, there was the giant chicken head! The effect was
terrifying. The young chicks were afraid.
"Now, repeat after me. . . I pledge allegiance. . . " Sammy
paused to give the chicks time to mumble, "I pledge allegiance," then he
said, ". . . to the Great Chicken State." After the chicks repeated this
last part Sammy reached under his desk to move another lever that made
the giant chicken beak go up and down as if it were talking. At the same
time he spoke in his most solemn voice, "I am the Great Chicken State
and I will tell you what to think and what to do. You must obey me in
all things. Do you understand?"
It seemed just like the giant chicken head was
speaking. All the chicks answered, "Yes". They were very impressed.
Quickly Sammy turned the light out, closed the panel over the chicken
head and opened the curtains. His trick had worked perfectly. This whole
generation of chickens would believe in the State that he had made up
with his imagination!
None of the chicks knew exactly what the Chicken
State was, but it was clearly like a very, very large rooster, very
powerful and scary. Being so young and so easily tricked, the chicks
believed in the Great Chicken State from that very first day. Sammy
almost believed, too, even though he made it up as part of his plan to
get all the chicken dinners he could!
Sammy spent the rest of the morning teaching reading,
writing and arithmetic. As might be expected, after seeing the Great
Chicken State, nothing else could make much of an impression on such
tender minds. At noon, the chicks were sent home for the day. They told
their mothers all about the Great Chicken State. Soon, all the flock
were gathered around David, the wise old rooster, to hear his opinion of
these new things.
David had no idea what the Great Chicken State might
be. It sounded to him like some kind of a god. Nevertheless, he did not
want to appear uneducated, so he said, "Our good friend has offered to
teach the chicks at no cost. This has left us free all morning to do
whatever we like. His only desire is to serve the State and us. It would
be ungrateful to question the pledge of allegiance to the Great Chicken
State. It is plainly chickenish and, I'm sure, perfectly all right." But
he wasn't really sure. In fact, he was beginning to be a little
suspicious of Samuel and his school.
The Great Pretender
And so the chicks attended classes all summer as
they grew into young chickens. Every morning, rain or shine, they
pledged allegiance to the frightening chicken head that represented the
State. By the end of the summer they had learned that the Chicken State
was a being superior to all chickens. They learned that the State was
sovereign, which simply meant one must do whatever the State said. They
were taught that the State could protect them. And Sammy greatly
exaggerated the danger from hawks, owls and foxes which made everyone
eager to believe in so powerful a being.
But they never learned that the Great Chicken State
was only papier-mâché and that it was really Sammy Fox speaking. They
never learned that Sammy himself had made up the idea of the State out
of his own head to get more chickens. It was about this time that the
flock began calling Sammy, Uncle Sam.
At last it was time for the sixth and final step of
his plan. On the last morning of school, the Great Chicken State
appeared as usual. All was darkness, except for the head. Sammy made the
beak move by working the lever back and forth.
In a deep, solemn voice that sent chills down the
back of each chicken, the Great Chicken State spoke, "Your education is
now complete. I have graciously given you this education without cost.
Now, you must be prepared to make a sacrifice for the State. The State
can only protect you if you protect it. The State is in great danger
from hawks and owls and foxes. Its enemies seek to destroy it. You may
be called upon to give your lives in its defense. This is your highest
and most sacred duty. Go home now. Say farewell to your parents. Put all
your affairs in order. Many of you will never see tomorrow, but you will
be heroes. Come back to the school at sunset. Do all that Uncle Sam
tells you."
The giant chicken head disappeared as the light
blinked out. The chickens filed out of the classroom with chests puffed
up and eyes filled with tears. They were feeling very patriotic and very
proud to be able to do something for the State. Perfect, Sammy thought,
just perfect!
When the last chicken had left, Sammy rushed to the
back room of the schoolhouse and took off his disguise. He turned the
walk-in freezer to high. He moved the butcher block to the middle of the
room. He began to heat a huge kettle of water and arrange the
chicken-sized Styrofoam trays. He stretched up high to the top shelf and
took down the clear plastic shrink-wrap. He would make packages just
like at the supermarket.
It would take him the rest of the afternoon to get
ready for so large a group of poultry. Sammy rubbed his hands together
with real pleasure at the thought. He would take only enough to last
until this time next year, leaving the rest to make more chickens. Was
there ever a fox half so clever as he? Sammy chuckled and began to hum a
little tune as he sharpened the cleaver and butcher knife.
David, the wise old rooster, listened as the young
chickens repeated all the Great Chicken State had said. How could the
State be in danger if it were only an idea? The younger generation was
about to sacrifice their lives for a new idea! "This is nonsense," David
thought to himself. It was time he paid a little visit to Samuel's
school.
As David walked up the front steps, everything seemed
to be deserted. He opened the door and poked his head inside. He noticed
all the desks set neatly in rows. In the mid-day sun it was becoming a
little too warm. David called out, "Hello, anybody here?" His voice
echoed around the empty room. There was no answer. He walked to the
front of the room and sat down in Samuel's chair. He swiveled
side-to-side and back and forth. It squeaked a little but was
comfortable. David noticed several levers under the desk. He looked
around quickly. Samuel could return at any moment.
David pulled the nearest lever. There was a rolling
sound behind him. He turned and looked up. There was the Great Chicken
State staring down at him! He jumped straight into the air and came down
on the floor in front of Samuel's desk, his wings over his eyes. He
waited several minutes, but nothing happened. Slowly, he peaked over the
edge of the desk with one eye. The huge head just stared at him. David
was still afraid, but he stood on the desk to get a closer look. He
reached up very carefully and tapped the big beak. Papier-mâché!
Why, the Great Chicken State is nothing but a great
fraud, thought David. This huge chicken head is Samuel's way of making
his idea of the State seem real! Elephants seem real, even though you've
only seen them in pictures. Both elephants and the State are very big
and powerful, but only elephants are real.
Why would Samuel go to so much trouble to make
chickens believe a lie? With one feather beside his beak, David was deep
in thought when his gaze fell upon Samuel's bookshelf. There was the
handsome book, "How to Serve the Flock". He removed it
from the shelf and placed it on the desk. It fell open to the middle.
David read the words, "Spicy Southern Fried Chicken". Why, this is a
recipe, he thought. He flipped through a dozen more pages. Chicken
Noodle Soup, Chicken Under Glass, Chicken Burgers. This is a cookbook
for chickens!
David had a big lump in his throat and a sinking
feeling in his stomach. Suddenly, someone called out, "Oops!" followed
by the sound of a plate crashing to the floor. David froze in position.
He didn't move even a pen feather.
Turning slowly, he noticed the door to the back room
was ajar. Very carefully he tiptoed over to the door. He looked in
through the crack and saw the freezer, boiling water on the stove, the
butcher block, the Styrofoam trays, shrink-wrap, and a stack of plates
and silverware. And kneeling down to clean up a broken plate, his bushy
tail sticking up in the air, was Sammy the Fox! With horror David
realized that Samuel the teacher - good old Uncle Sam, was none other
than their old enemy, Sammy the Fox. "How to Serve the Flock,"
indeed! David saw the whole evil plan.
David immediately set off on a plan of his own. As
quietly as possible, he pulled the giant head from its cabinet in the
front wall. He was careful to close the sliding panel. The only way to
carry it was to crawl inside. David found he could easily see where he
was going through the beak. He could work the beak up and down, too. So
David started home with the handsome book under his arm, completely
hidden from sight under the giant chicken head.
Imagine how startled all the chickens were to see a
giant chicken head floating down the path toward them. The young
chickens that had spent the summer in school quickly lined up in rows.
They stood still with their right wings over their hearts. They stared
straight ahead with eyes wide open. The older chickens huddled around in
small groups, not knowing what to expect next.
Then the Great Chicken
State began to speak. "Hear me all you chickens! You have been very
silly. There is no Chicken State, only chickens who have been taught by
Samuel to believe in the State. You do not have to sacrifice yourself
for the State. Uncle Sam the teacher is really Sammy the Fox." All in
one motion, David threw off the giant chicken head and shouted, "And the
Great Chicken State is nothing but newspaper, flour and imagination!"
David showed the chickens the "How to Serve the
Flock" book. They could easily see it was really a cookbook.
Sammy loved chickens all right, he loved to eat them! Even so, it took
the rest of the afternoon to convince the educated chickens that the
entire business of the State was a lie and a trick meant to put them on
Sammy's dinner table. When they all understood and had gotten over their
embarrassment at being so silly, David told them his plan.
Right at sunset, the young chickens filed into the
classroom just like nothing had happened. There was Sammy dressed in his
fine clothes with a big grin on his face. He said, "All right class, we
will now say the pledge of allegiance one last time. Look around at your
classmates. By tomorrow, two out of three of you will have made the
ultimate sacrifice for the State. You will have given your very lives!"
The room plunged into darkness as the curtain closed
out the last of twilight. Sammy pulled the lever that slid the panel
back, exposing the giant chicken head. He flipped on the spotlight as he
began to move the beak lever back and forth. Unaware that the head had
been removed earlier, Sammy said in his deepest, most solemn voice, "The
rest of you will wait here quietly as the first row goes into the back
room with Samuel." Someone snickered. Sammy became very angry. "Who was
that, who was that?" he demanded.
Then everyone began to giggle as they looked up at
the front wall. Sammy turned to look, too. There in the cabinet, where
the giant chicken head should have been, was David, the wise old
rooster, making the funniest faces you've ever seen!
"Oh no, I've been discovered," thought
Sammy, and his beady eyes filled with terror. "Run for your
lives," squawked David. Dozens of chickens flew out the door. Sammy
impulsively chased after them, but all in a moment, the chickens had
vanished.
Sammy slunk off toward the pine woods, his belly aching
and growling. He snarled to himself for letting his great plan fail. "Busted this time," he
moaned,
"but I'll be back."
Watch out for the Enemy
David and the chickens met in the schoolhouse the
next morning at dawn. "Our enemy is gone for a season, but the next
time he comes around, we're going to be wiser," advised
David.
One chicken proposed that they try to
"outfox" Sammy using his own cunning against him. "No,
that will never do," said David. "We are chickens, not foxes.
We can run from him. We can fly to the nearest branch. We can squawk
to warn the others, but we must keep our peaceful chicken ways."
David was appointed the shepherd of the flock. It was
his job to teach the little ones how to be on guard against the crafty
ways of foxes. "Foxes may say many things, but all they
really want to do is eat you. Stay alert for smooth talking creatures
who want to protect you. You've already been given your
special chicken ways to keep you safe. You don't need outsiders. When danger comes, run, squawk and fly from the
enemy. All this is within you.
"Some of you may get hurt and some may
even die, but we will live as free chickens under our shepherd. Let us help one another and
stay alert at all times, for we never know when Sammy the Fox will be
back with his tricks."
So, girls, these letters can be summed up in just a
few words: Seek the Kingdom of God first (Matt. 6:33), and you will find
it. When you find it, you will have found mankind's greatest happiness,
the government offered by God to all men. At the same time, you will
have found salvation, which many try in vain to find while still
within the dominion of Satan.
Satan's dominion includes all the kingdoms of the
world. Salvation is being rescued from the dominion of Satan and being
brought into the Kingdom of God, where our sins are forgiven. It is this
rescue and transfer to the Kingdom of God (new birth) that results in a
completely new way of seeing the world. Nothing else can be called
salvation.
I must warn you that it won't be easy, because most
people cannot see the Kingdom. They will try to prevent you from going
in. Religious people will use words to stop you. The wizards' officers will use
terrorism. They are unable to see any alternative to man's kingdoms and
Satan's dominion. It's all a matter of abiding faith in God. We are
winning; victory is the Lord's! May God's kingdom come to you!
