Discarding Our Chicken

“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God.

He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.”

Matthew 5:6, The Message

My husband Eric & I had planned a romantic dinner a few months ago. It was a weekend, so we weren’t in a rush to get things done. Eric was roasting a chicken and put it into the oven a little later than normal – we waited, and waited, and waited, and waited for it get done.

We kept waiting until we realized somewhere along the lines the oven that was once on was now off.

We’re still not sure how that happened but we didn’t notice it until the chicken was cold. Basically after two hours we had a half cooked bird.

So, we decided to throw it out and go pick something up.

I’m not sure what we were thinking but we tied it up in a bag to throw it out and left it next to the garbage can.

When we came home, our puppy,  whose name happens to be Humphrey Bogart, looked drunk with chicken love. He had eaten through the plastic bag, and the bottom of the chicken. His face was a mess, he literally was sluggish from the overstuffed stomach he had. It was like Thanksgiving canine style. He could barely move from the weight of his feast!

When I saw him, I could not believe we’d done that! We just left an entire chicken there for him without thinking.

The thing I really couldn’t come to terms with was that we had given him a reason to bark for table food (before he’d never wanted it). It was clear he was going to have a serious appetite for our food.

A habit we are still breaking.

The Lord really used this to drill home a lesson in my life. He’s teaching me that we have a responsibility to guard not only our own hearts but the hearts & appetites of those in our homes.

I want to ask today: Is it possible we are leaving out things that have no place in our homes? Sure we meant to get rid of them, we even tie them up, but then we leave them laying on the floor near the trash. Are we fostering unhealthy appetites for worldly things because we don’t follow through?

We have to guard our hearts. From them, come life.

It is so important to throw our garbage out now and not let it sit for a while, for another to come along and find something they think will taste good & will still the hunger of whatever they are starving for.

We need to guard our hearts so that they remain pure. And we are wise to help guard the hearts of those the Lord has blessed us to walk intimately with. Part of doing this is submitting ourselves to the Lord and acting on the things He calls us to get rid of.

No discarded chicken on the floor here, ladies!

Kristen Schiffman

A New Yorker living in Texas, Kristen is just trying to make sense of sweet tea and A/C units. Together with her best friend & husband, Eric, she enjoys sketching out new ideas over Starbuck’s.As the Founder and Ministry Director of Exemplify Online & Magazine, Kristen (along with her team of writers!) daily ministers to women across the world. Previously writing bible study curriculum for various Christian ministries, Kristen now writes for the ministry of Exemplify.She contributes regularly to The Internet Café , has been a featured speaker at A Woman Inspired Conferences and continues to write and teach women through in depth bible studies.Kristen’s passion is equipping those in leadership to serve with excellence, encouraging women to get to know God through His Word and challenging women to live out their God-given purpose.

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