The Chicken and the Dog: A Story of Service

As a servant of man, a chicken lives an easy life to itself to mind its own business in a world of its own. It has no worry, is well fed, guaranteed shelter, kept comfortable, and has no responsibility. Only the keeper has deadlines. It may prove itself “superior” to another by pecking or it may be pecked by another that’s “more superior.” It contributes eggs only because the eggs are collected. Unless coerced to another location, there is no need for obedience, discipline, or training. Other than fattened as time passes, life goes on mostly uneventful for the chicken until it is ended and the chicken consumed. The chicken thus becomes an unrecorded statistic with no memory trail. Has anyone any special memory for what he had for dinner the other day?

The dog on the other hand not only gives his life to his master, but also lives for him. Like the chicken, he is guaranteed free food and shelter and kept comfortable. But he interacts meaningfully with his master instead of living an empty uneventful life. He may be trained and is sometimes chastised for correction and thus given responsibility such as fetching, guarding, or simply keeping company. He also plays with his master and has lasting emotional ties with him. When the day of his passing arrives, he is fondly remembered for his personality and deeds.
The chicken lives for itself and eventually gives its life unwillingly. Things are only taken from it for no consequent reward other than food for fattening. But the dog gave his life willingly and lived its life for man as man lives for his Creator instead of only for himself as the chicken did.
As humans under God, we thus have our choice whether to live only for ourselves or to dedicate our lives to God our Creator and thus live a fuller and rewarding life as the dog did. Do we prefer to be like the chicken or the dog?

E. L. Dunn
norearlster@yahoo.com