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Sat 5 Apr, 2003 03:42 pm
The Bird Cage
There once was a man named George Thomas, a pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Several eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor 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 three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, "What you got there son?"
"Just some old birds," came the reply.
"What are you gonna do with them?" I asked.
"Take 'em home and have fun with 'em. I'm gonna tease 'em and 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 pastor 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 seized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?"
The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten-dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars, persuaded the birds out, setting them free.
Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story. One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and 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 and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to invent guns and bombs and 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 take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you!! You don't want those people!!"
"HOW MUCH?"
Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your tears, and all your blood."
Jesus paid the price.
He picked up the cage....He opened the door
I read it, but why did you post it?
Hey!!
That kid looks familiar.....
That kid looks like you did, maxsdadeo, before you became a dashing movie star.
I reckon that kid selling the birds has got a future
why? I thought it was a nice story...
technoguy: Sorry for the confusion, I thought it was a nice story too.
I was referring to your avatar, it is the same one I had for the first 400 or so posts on this thread.
Eerie to see the little guy looking back at me on stuff I haven't written.
I hope he serves you as well as he served me...
why did you title it please read this. . . . why not something explaining what it is . . . . . . . Jesus Metaphore
Let me see....He wanted you to read his parable... He tiltled the posting, "Please Read This". Which part confused you? ..Here's my post:
"PLEASE STOP BUSTING HIS CHOPS!"
(I say that with affection.)
Who is busting his chops?
Max
Since you brought up the issue of the avatar you used early on in A2K, I have a question.
The avatar you have now -- who's picture is it?
Both my son and wife insist that it is a picture of me.
(He's 5, she's 35)
Similarities to a certain fellow with his own Film Festival are due to no fault of mine.
In the real world he would have released the birds and some Cat would have leapt on them and eaten them! the moral then would have been not every well intentioned act turns out for the best....