THINK ABOUT IT

Friday, April 4, 2003

Birds Set Free

There once was a man named George Thomas, a preacher in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, & set it by the pulpit. Several eyebrows were raised &, as if in response, Preacher  Thomas began to speak.

                I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me, swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were 3 wild birds, shivering with cold & fright. I stopped the boy & asked, "What you got there son?"

                "Just some old birds," came the reply.

                "What're you gonna do with them?" I asked.

                "Take 'em home & have fun with 'em. I'm gonna tease 'em & pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time."

                "But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?"

                "Oh, I got some cats. They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."

                The preacher  was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?"

                "Huh??!!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing - they ain't even pretty!"

                "How much?"

                The boy sized up the preacher as if he were crazy & said, "$10?"

                The preacher reached in his pocket & took out a $10 bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone.

                The preacher picked up the cage & gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree & a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, & by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free.

                Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, & then the preacher began to tell this story. One day Satan & Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, & he was gloating & boasting.

                "Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"

                "What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.

                "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry & divorce each other. How to hate & abuse each other. How to drink & smoke & curse. How to invent guns & bombs & kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"

                "And what will you do when you get done with them?" Jesus asked.

                "Oh, I'll kill 'em."

                "How much do you want for them?"

                "Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them & they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you & kill you!! You don't want those people!!

                "How much?"

                Satan looked at Jesus & smiled, "Your life."

                Jesus paid the price.

                The preacher picked up the cage, opened the door & he walked from the pulpit.