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A little red Christian hen felt
compassion for the lost souls in her community. She believed the Lord was
calling her church to more actively pursue evangelism efforts.
"Who will
conduct an evangelism campaign in our community?" she asked the church
leadership.
"Not I," said the pastor. "I have sermons to prepare
for Sunday and Wednesday night. I have the board meeting on Tuesday, and
visitation to do on Thursday; and of course, Friday is my regular day for
golf. I have no time to spare for evangelistic work."
"Not I," said
the deacon. "After all, I am an important businessman with many pressing
matters of business. I must use my limited spare time to check up on the
church staff and oversee the operation of the church. Besides, if
the Lord is calling them, they will come to church anyway."
"Not I," said
the youth pastor. "We have 'gym night' every Friday, and church softball
league on Tuesdays. There's a youth rally next weekend that I need to
coordinate -- I still haven't recovered from last week's "lock-in" -- and don't
forget musical practice almost every other night. There's no way I'll be
able to do evangelism, too."
"Who will go with me into the streets
and public places to hand out literature, and to visit the homes in our
community?" she asked her fellow church members.
"Not I," said the church
organist. "The church's music is my ministry, and I don't feel called to
do anything else."
"Not I," said the retired church elder. "I've
done my part. It's time for the young people to do the work of the
church. I've earned my rest."
"Not I," said her old friend, "I don't know the Bible that well, and could never just go up and
talk to a stranger."
"Then I will go by myself," said the little red
Christian hen. So she began to go into the public places and visit the
homes in her community. The work went very slowly, because she was all
alone. But in time, she gathered one lost soul, and then another, until
finally even some of the souls she had gathered began to gather souls
themselves. At last, she and her new helpers had gathered a
congregation.
The new congregation rejoiced that they had been gathered
into the Kingdom. "The Lord is pouring out his blessings," said the Christian hen.
"Who will come feast with us?"
"We will," said
the deacon, the pastor and the youth pastor. "We will, too," said the
elder, the organist and the Christian hen's old friend.
"Now we will see who gets blessed," said the hen. Then the Lord came, and poured out spiritual
blessings on the new congregation, and they came and ate the blessings all up. And
the Lord said, "Well done, my good and faithful servants. Enter into the
joy of your Lord" (Matthew 25:21, paraphrased).
But there were none left for the deacon, or the elder, or any of the church
people; nor none for the little red Christian hen's old friend whom she had
asked for help.
And the Lord said to them all, "You are careful
and troubled about many things. The Christian hen and her followers have chosen
the best part".
(Luke 10:41, freely paraphrased).
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