COME UNDER MY WINGS

This is a story about a little chick who was called Who's Afraid. He was one of a brood of six chickens, all taken care of by Mother Hen.

Who's Afraid considered himself very brave. This may be because he grew faster than the other chicks. Every day he would brag: "My legs are longer, my wings are stronger, my eyes are sharper and I'm a lot smarter than anyone else around here."

Mother Hen knew that he bragged, but all she ever said was "cluck-cluck, cluck-cluck." This meant: "You may think your legs are longer, and your wings are stronger. You may think your eyes are sharper and that you're a lot smarter, but someday if you don't hurry under my wings when I say cluck-cluck you may be very sorry."

Who's Afraid never answered back because those born into the animal world don't do this. He didn't say anything, but every chance he could get, he would edge away a little bit further because he was an adventuresome little chick and wanted to see things.

One day Who's Afraid saw his chance to run away. Mother Hen was helping Peep Squeak pull a worm out of the ground. Peep Squeak was the smallest chick in the brood and very often Mother Hen had to help him do things.

Who's Afraid had only gone a little bit of a ways, however, when Chick Tell Tale caught sight of him. He stopped chasing the mosquito he was after and said, "Where are you going? You had better come back or I'll tell Mother Hen on you.

"You would," said Who's Afraid, "but if you promise not to tell I'll bring you something. I'm only going to be gone a little while. I'm just about to do a little investigating."

"Very well," said Tell Tale, "But all the same you had better be careful. Mother Hen says there are hawks who swoop down and carry little chicks away."

"Pooh!" said Who's Afraid. "What's a hawk anyway? Besides I'm not afraid of anything. My legs are longer, my wings are stronger, my eyes are sharper and I'm a lot smarter than any old hawk."

Who's Afraid hurried on, but only to be waylaid by Sleepy Head, who was having himself a sun bath. He opened one eye and said sleepily, "Who's Afraid, where are you going? You had better not go too far, because Mother Hen says there is an old red fox around who likes chicks for his dinner."

"Pooh!" said Who's Afraid. "My legs are longer, my wings are stronger, my eyes are sharper, and I'm a lot smarter than any old red fox. What's a red fox anyway?"

But by this time Sleepy Head had closed his eye again and was fast asleep.

By now Who's Afraid was quite a little ways from Mother Hen.

"Say, you," called out Buggy Wuggy (he was called that because he was the best bug catcher in all of Mother Hen's brood of chicks). "Where are you going? You had better not go any farther because you won't hear Mother Hen call for you to come. She says there is a weasel around here somewhere."

"Pooh! I don't even know what a weasel is," said Who's Afraid. "Besides, my legs are longer, my wings are stronger, my eyes are sharper and I'm a lot smarter than any old weasel. Why won't you come with me, Buggy Wuggy? You could catch us bugs for dinner and we could have lots of fun."

"Not I," said Buggy Wuggy. "I want to be near for Mother Hen's signal. When I hear her cluck-cluck I want to go to her so I can hide under her wings."

"I'm the only one who isn't afraid," said Who's Afraid . . . but Buggy Wuggy didn't hear him. He had suddenly heard Mother Hen call. He didn't even stop to catch the potato bug he was after. Instead his short little legs went racing back to Mother Hen.

It was then that Who's Afraid heard a strange whirring sound. It was not far over his head. It looked like an enormous hen, but it was really the hawk Tell Tale had been talking about.

Who's Afraid could hear Mother Hen clucking and clucking. He turned around. Now he could see Mother Hen with her wings spread high waiting for all her brood of chicks to come quickly under her wings.

Who's Afraid at last was afraid. He was afraid Mother Hen would fold down her wings before he could get under them. The whirring sound was very close overhead now. It was as if there were a big fanning of wings in the air over him.

Never had Who's Afraid's legs run so fast. "Peep, peep . . . wait for me, Mother Hen, I'm coming!"

Just in time did Who's Afraid slide in under Mother Hen's wings as she lowered them over her little brood of chicks.

Thump, thump, went Who's Afraid's heart. My, it did seem good to be safe and sound! No hawk could touch a Mother Hen who would dig deep into his eyes if he dared to come too close to her while she was protecting her brood. Who's Afraid was thankful to have a loving Mother Hen to care for him.

How About You?

Have you ever had thoughts like Who's Afraid? Have you ever thought you were so big and strong and fast that nothing could harm you? Have you ever disobeyed that little voice inside you which is God speaking?

I know you have because we all have left God's path to follow our own. We have all been like the little chicken thinking we could get along by ourselves.

Remember though, that Jesus stands near with His arms spread wide . . . just waiting for us to come to Him so that He can protect us.

He has told us in the Bible: "How often I have wanted to gather you together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you wouldn't let Me."

Remember this and don't ever get far away from Jesus. There may not be hawks, foxes or weasels to get you, but there are other enemies who would like to see you get so far away from Jesus you couldn't hear Him call. There are children who will want you to go with them to do something wrong. Don't go! Don't obey any voice that you know will take you away from Jesus. Stay near Him so that He will be able to keep you safe from harm.