PECKING ORDER

We currently have a chook in our chook house who is not feeling too well, well actually I am not sure she will last the night. Its a funny world in chook land, every Girl for herself out there, show no mercy. If you are feeling down and out then you are probably curtains. If another girl in the pen smells any sign of weakness they will relentlessly peck you to death . Show no mercy is the chicken motto. Thankfully for our girl we will take her aside and give her a safe refuge until she is better or passes on.
I cant help but see the resemblance in this to our real world and how similar this behaviour is to our day to day living. Over the years as I have watched my kids journey through their lives there have been many occasions when they have felt on the outer, more so for my girls than my boys. There is certainly Merritt in the term "pecking order". It is no fun if you are the bottom of the chain. The worst thing about this is that if you are at the bottom then you are a prime target for the attack. Chickens will gather together and fuss about working out who is at the bottom and then they will go in for the attack.
It is so hard to rise above this and move yourself up the chain. For chickens it is all about territory, they decide in their space who is at the top and who is at the bottom based on your strengths and weaknesses. If your weakness are greater that your strengths , then guess what?? you go to the bottom. Try standing up for yourself when you feel like you are at the bottom!! It is painfully hard, I know because I have been there many a time in my youth.
We humans would like to see ourselves as so much more advanced that that but the reality is , we are not, we are very good at putting the people around us in boxes and an order as to who we give more time or respect to.
I personally had a very unpleasant time growing up, I was always at the bottom of the chain, I spent most of my youth jumping through hoops trying to fit in and be liked. I remember when I was only 8 or 9 years old . I was desperate to be part of a club of girls at school . In order to be part of this club you had to prove yourself worthy. I told the girls at school that I had fairies living in my garden, then stupidly agreed to the girls coming home after school with me to show them my fairies. Well how stupid did I look when a full search of the garden turned up no fairies. I just moved myself further down the chain that I was so desperate to climb up. I was the focus of many a joke at school for what seemed like an eternity. I felt this pain for many years well into my adult life . It had a huge effect on me when my kids were feeling bullied at school It opened up many old wounds and pain, which eventually I had to hand over to God to heal close the door on.
I tried for many years to do things that would make me feel part of the group in social circles. The reality was however that for all that time there was nothing I could do to achieve this acceptance. The answer lay in my own acceptance and confidence in myself, and the only true acceptance that I would find ultimately came from God, when I finally found myself in God I became attractive to my peers and not a scared little chicken who was always making a fool of myself trying to fit in.
There is no one who will love us like God does. If we can find our security in our salvation the battle is almost won. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Don't allow the people around you to govern your spot in life. you only need to submit to God and then you are at the top of the only pecking order that counts. Romans 13:11 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” God will then direct your way and who you should submit to. Don't allow your happiness and peace to be dictated to from people who don't love and care for you .
As with chickens , If you get the chickens in a group they will pick on the weaker one ; people are the same , Find the confidence that God has placed in you not to be the weaker one. Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
From my experience when people are backed into a corner they come out fighting, same too with my chickens, the ones who fight for their spot in the hen house come out ok, the ones who cower in the corner and get pecked half to death Will always find it hard to establish new ground.
Interesting enough though It is not impossible to establish new ground. All is not lost if you feel beaten by the people around you . With our chickens for example , we made a new space for the hens to live in and moved the picked on chook into that new space first , the rest of the chickens think that they have moved into her new house and she had an instant spot at the top of the chain. the playing field has been altered.
For we people we just need to work on altering the playing field by allowing God to help us to feel more confidant in our own skin , and letting God show us our gifts and talents that he wants us to use in order to better our own lives and be of use to him to further his kingdom. God cant use us if we are cowering in the corner like the frightened chicken too scared to come out because we might get pecked.
If you find yourself questioning God’s true character, and your own, reassure your faith of His might and love by reading His Word. As I feel my confidence in myself and God fading, I recall accounts in the Bible when He has shown Himself strong. Often, the story of Hannah comes to mind (I Samuel 1). For years, she wanted a child of her own. She could have projected her lack of an heir on God, and seen Him as the One who ignores a poor woman’s prayers. Instead, she continued pressing into the Lord; she shared her pain with Him and asked again and again.
Ask God again and again to help you build your own character so you don't feel you are failing victim to life's pecking order.