To properly conclude on relationships in the assemblies that constitute the body of Christ as alluded to in the last post, we quote below an allegory from an unknown source worth your deep reflection.

The bull invited his friends to a banquet. I’m not going to contribute anything, because I’m already lending my house,” he said.

The dog took advantage and added: “I’ll contribute a bone I found the other day that still has a little meat on it.”

The horse also chimed in: “I can contribute a piece of cheese leftover from last year’s carnival. It’s a little stale, but it hasn’t turned green yet.”

Everyone looked at the hen, waiting to hear her contribution.

“Oh, sure… so, I’ll provide the rest?” the hen stammered. “I guess so… the firewood, the rice, the beans, and the work. I’m the only one missing…”

On the day of the banquet, the hen arrived early with a scarf tied around her head and a machete in her hand. She was sweaty, covered in ash, carrying the firewood she had worked so hard to chop. She also brought rice, beans, and corn. The work was enormous. So much so that when she was about to put salt on the beans, she accidentally added a little too much. They were salty!

The guests arrived at night, when everything was ready.

The horse delivered the cheese, served himself a very large plate, and, upon tasting the beans, complained: “Oh no, hen, is this salt and beans or beans and salt? Hahaha!”

The hen cleared her throat, held back her tears, and pretended to be happy while she continued working.

Then the dog arrived with his bone, which was now almost skinless. He put it aside, served himself a very large plate, and complained: “Hey! What’s wrong with you? Do you think we’re bulls to be licking salt?”

The only one who didn’t complain was the bull (because bulls like salt).

The hen ran home and brought more beans, this time some fine, quality beans. She seasoned them with just the right amount of salt, and the smell that came out of the pot filled the entire house.

The horse and the dog helped themselves twice. They ate happily but didn’t even remember to thank the hen.

The hen spent the entire party working in the kitchen, while the others laughed and told stories without even thinking about her. When the party was over, the animals left one by one. They said goodbye to each other, but no one came into the kitchen to thank the hen or say goodbye.

Exhausted, the hen looked for something to eat, but there was nothing. All she found at the bottom of the pot was a crust of dried beans. With her stomach growling, she tightened her belt and began washing the dishes and cleaning up the mess they had left.

This happened at every party. They came, they had fun, and they left. They never remembered the hen, they didn’t notice her absence, because she was always in the kitchen giving it all.

One day, at a similar party, the hen was absent.  That day there was only rotten cheese and dry bones. There was no tasty food, no firewood, no one to cook. There were no quality beans like the ones only she knew how to make.

The party lost its charm, and for the first time, they remembered her. They went out to look for her, not because they missed her, but because they needed her.

“Let’s go to her house! Do you know where she lives?”

“No…”

“Me neither…”

After a few hours, they passed a cold, abandoned cave. From the back, a voice could be heard saying:

“Forgive me, Mom… I just wanted to protect the family…” Those were the hen’s last words before disappearing. Her voice was trapped in the echo of the cave. The animals went inside hoping to find her, but she was gone. Only the echo of her voice echoed repeatedly.

The animals ran to the home of the goat, their only friend, to look for answers.

“Where is the hen? Why did she live in a cave? Why did she never tell us she didn’t have a home? Why does her voice keep echoing there, asking her mother for forgiveness?”

The goat sighed and replied, “Do you really not know?” “She worked for you all this time, and you didn’t even realize she didn’t have a home. What kind of friends are you? You didn’t even know she didn’t have a family.”

The bull, the horse, and the dog looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

Then the goat told them the truth: “A long time ago, she lived in a chicken coop and had a happy family. But one day, a snake got in, and the hen fought bravely to defend her family, while her sisters ran to hide in the trees.” The snake bit her, and instead of thanking her, her family threw her out, fearing the poison would spread. From then on, she never had a home or a family. She lived in that cave, and while she held up your world, her own life fell apart. She gave you joy, she gave you pleasure, but at night only her pillow knew how many tears she shed.

The bull, the horse, and the dog opened their eyes in astonishment and looked down.

“Do you want to know where she is?” asked the goat. “She sank into a deep depression and no longer has the strength to continue working for you for free. I got her out of that cave, and now I’m taking care of her.”

Such is a story that many live in silence. In your local assembly there may be many people like the hen in this story. People who do everything for others, who strive to see others happy, who carry everyone’s problems while their own lives are a mess. People who laugh during the day but wet their pillow with tears at night. Beloved shepherd, beloved sheep, how is your relationship? Would you please check it against the following scriptures in The Message, New Living Translation and The Passion translations. It will be an eye and heart opener:

1. Mark 12:30-31
2. John 13:34-35
3. Romans 12:9-10
4. 1 Peter 1:22
5. 1 Thessalonians 4:9
6. Ephesians 4:1-2
7. Philippians 2:1-2
8. Colossians 3:12-14

The plainest evidence of selfishness of heart are hearts which want every sacrifice made to be directly for them. In the Lord’s gospel enterprise we are placed under His direction, at His disposal, and believers are to help each other as coworkers, partners and co-disciples. Selah.



Pastor Afolabi Oladele