Agur studied God’s creation and noticed fearless creatures and a King with his army.
“Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride: the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any; the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him.” Proverbs 30:29-31
I can speak from my own experience that a rooster is majestic and fearless in serving as a protector of the hens. We obtained a rooster because a neighbor to the West released one after selling their hens. He walked up the hill and adopted our hens and our neighbor’s hens to the North. He stands guard for our neighbor’s birds even though they are enclosed on all sides and over the top with a metal fence.
Notice how the rooster tail feathers are positioned different during flight (level with the body like a pheasant) than “at rest” (upright). The rooster never seems at rest.
He is not afraid of me. Several times when he felt that I was not inline, the hairs around his neck would extend straight out, and he would quickly flutter in the air with his spurs reached toward me to make contact. An awe-inspiring show. He has not kept me away with those attacks, so more often he respectfully, but still without fear, struts back and forth in front of me to communicate that he is protecting the hens.
He has been effective in keeping birds of prey from taking a meal.
What a majestic bird. The bright red comb on the rooster’s head and the wattle and earlobes below proclaim that he is the King of the flock. The brightly colored, iridescent feathers and showy tail design are majestic. His loud voice is sounded several times when something is up, rather than retreat quietly into the barn. It seems to be the rooster’s version of the lion’s roar.
The more I meditate on God’s creatures, the more I feel like Agur, who learned that no words describe God and his Son Jesus adequately:
“I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!” Proverbs 30:3-4
Learn from the illustration of God’s creatures. We can be confident in our calling. Let us humbly embrace our God-given roles. When we respect those Jesus puts above us, we acknowledge that He is above us with all authority in heaven and earth. He gives some of us authority as husbands and parents, and in Christ, we can protect and disciple our wives and children with a hint of His majesty and fearlessness. These characteristics exemplified by lions and roosters, will help the next generation to know that Christ is alive and our strength, enabling us to walk in His ways. Our courage is a witness to the world that acts in fear (of man, creation, death). May others be drawn to Jesus through our witness. In this way, we build the Kingdom of God on earth teaching everything Jesus commanded.
Be found in Christ Jesus!
“For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” Philippians 3:8
