Once upon a time a little red Christian hen came upon a homeless family who had nowhere to spend the night.  So, feeling great compassion for them and love for the Lord, she decided to find shelter for them.

She asked the duck: “Will you help find shelter for this family?”

“Not I!” said the duck.  “I have too many chores to do at the church building.”

She asked the goose: “Will you help find shelter for this family?”

“Not I!” said the goose.  “We have a full-time minister.  Why can’t he do it?”

She asked the cat:  “Will you help find shelter for this family?”

“Not I!” said the cat.  “After all, we really don’t know this family.”

She asked the pig: “Will you help find shelter for this family?”

“Not I!” said the pig.  “After I fix supper for my family, I’ve got to bake a huge batch of cookies for the PTA meeting.”

“Then I will find shelter for this family myself,” said the little red Christian hen.  And she took them to her own home and shared with them the best of everything she had.

That night the little red Christian hen learned more about the family.  It turned out that the man had lost his job due to a big layoff at his plant.  And since their little boy had been sick in the hospital for a few weeks, they had no money left in their savings account and couldn’t pay the rent when it became due.  So the next morning, the little red Christian hen sought her friends’ help.

She asked the duck: “Will you help this man find a new job?”

“Not I!” said the duck.  “I didn’t need any help getting my job.  I’m sure he’ll do fine on his own.”

She asked the goose: “Will you help this man find a new job?”

“Not I!” said the goose.  “Me?  Why can’t the preacher do it?”

She asked the cat:  “Will you help this man find a new job?”

“Not I!” said the cat.  “I certainly wouldn’t want to vouch for someone I don’t know!”

She asked the pig: “Will you help this man find a new job?”

“Not I!” said the pig.  “There simply aren’t any new jobs to be had around here.  It would just be a waste of my time.”

“Then I will help him find a new job myself,” said the little red Christian hen.  And she introduced him to all of the local employers, prayed earnestly for God to touch the heart of just the right employer, and the man soon found a new job.

In just a few weeks, the family had saved enough money for a deposit on an apartment and found a suitable one they could afford.  So the little red Christian hen inquired of her friends:

She asked the duck: “Will you help find some good, used furniture and household items for this family?”

“Not I!” said the duck.  “Why, when I started out, I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps.  They can certainly do the same.”

She asked the goose: “Will you help find some good, used furniture and household items for this family?”

“Not I!” said the goose.  “Aren’t there charitable organizations which do that sort of thing?”

She asked the cat:  “Will you help find some good, used furniture and household items for this family?”

“Not I!” said the cat.  “Whatever I would come up with probably wouldn’t suit them.”

She asked the pig: “Will you help find some good, used furniture and household items for this family?”

“Not I!” said the pig.  “I’m always looking for a good deal, myself, you know.”

“Then I will help them find furniture and household items myself,” said the little red Christian hen.  And she gave them things of her own that she could spare and enlisted the aid of charitable organizations for the rest of what they needed.

Soon the little red Christian hen began to get to know the members of that family and witnessed to them about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  They hungered to know more about the Gospel.  And so the little red Christian hen asked for assistance from her friends.

She asked the duck: “Will you help teach this family more about Jesus?”

“Not I!” said the duck.  “You know I’m just not a very good teacher.”

She asked the goose: “Will you help teach this family more about Jesus?”

“Not I!” said the goose.  “Isn’t that the evangelist’s area of expertise?”

She asked the cat:  “Will you help teach this family more about Jesus?”

“Not I!” said the cat.  “They get on my nerves.  The man isn’t very intelligent; the woman is always fussing over the children; the boy stutters; and the girl is too young to pay much attention.”

She asked the pig: “Will you help teach this family more about Jesus?”

“Not I!” said the pig.  “My daughter has ballet lessons on Monday.  My son has soccer practice on Tuesday.  We’ve got Bible study on Wednesday.  Thursday is my Weight Watchers meeting.  On Fridays, I host the bridge club.  And by Saturday, I’m just worn out!”

“Then I will teach them about Jesus myself,” said the little red Christian hen.  And she spent every evening with them in Bible study, until both the man and woman accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and were baptized for the forgiveness of their sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  They guided their family according to the Lord’s will and won many souls to Christ.

Then one glorious day, in the twinkling of an eye, the little red Christian hen heard the trumpet sound and saw Jesus coming in the clouds.  In complete and utter joy, she called to her friends:

She asked the duck: “Are you ready to meet the Lord?”

“I . . . hope so.” said the duck, as he remained on the ground.

She asked the goose: “Are you ready to meet the Lord?”

“Jesus!  Lord!  Lord!  Here I am!” said the goose, as he remained rooted to the ground.

She asked the cat:  “Are you ready to meet the Lord?”

“Of course.  After all, I’m a fine, upstanding and moral cat.” said the cat, as she remained firmly on the ground.

She asked the pig: “Are you ready to meet the Lord?”

“I need more time!” said the pig, as he, too, remained on the ground.

“Goodbye, Duck—there is no more hope for the lost after the trumpet sounds.  Goodbye, Goose—not everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' will be saved!  Goodbye, Cat—your works cannot save you, only God’s grace and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can.  Goodbye, Pig—there is no more time after Jesus comes again,” said the little red Christian hen as she, the family, and many of the ones they had evangelized rose to meet Christ in the air.

Copyright © 1997-2000 Kimberly B. Southall.  All rights reserved.