The Farmer's bird

               I want to share a story with you about why God had to come down to earth as a man

                There was once a good man, an honest fellow that worked the land on his farm. He followed the teachings of his church but never understood why an all-powerful God had to come down as a human to teach us what to do. One day the man found himself alone, his children and wife being out at some social event. The man said he would rather stay home and work; later that night, having completed his work and being home alone, went for a walk around his property to make sure everything was in order. As he walked he came upon a group of six small birds, too young or injured to fly. “I cannot let you all just die here in the snow, you are so precious and week I shall help you in your pain, but how?  I know I shall make a special place for you in my barn where you will be warm and safe.” Working quickly, the man did just that. Then he went to go get the birds into the barn. First he tried to catch the birds with his hands and convince them to enter with his voice. However, the birds cowered at his voice and ran from his strong hands. Frustrated, the man tried to scare the birds into the barn. They became scattered then, some being about the same distance from the barn while others were now farther or closer “this isn’t working for it is no way to earn their trust I know I shall try and sweeten the path to safety.”  Next the man trailed the way to the barn with food, but they simply took the food and then left the path to safety. Finally the man cried out “if only I could speak to them! Or better yet become one of them! If for the sole reason as to tell them that the warmth and safety of the barn is so close through the cold and darkness!” the man then fell on his knees, he understood now.

You see God’s plan was brilliant. In the Old Testament he tried the other methods. He tried doing big things (voices in the sky, burning bushes, and the giving of land or children) he tried to use his hands and voice to get us into heaven. God also tried more harsh methods to try and “scare” us into safety with his awesome majesty and power (he displayed his power at Sodom and Gomorrah as well as with the plagues upon Egypt). In the end however, God decided that is was best to come down and teach us the way himself. So he came down and showed us the ultimate sign of love, the cross, and taught us the way to safety. He Became ONE OF US, so that he could talk to us as one of us, so we could really trust him. I guess his theory was kind of like the old saying “Monkey see, Monkey Do.”