Gather Your Chicks

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Jesus worked so hard. He healed. He taught. He loved. He cared.

Christ Healing the Blind by Domenikos Theotokopoulos,
known as El Greco, c. 1570
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 1978

Still, the scribes and Pharisees were stuck in their traditions. They would not put their trust in Him.

Christ and the Pharisees,
a folk art watercolor and pencil work
by Lawrence W. Ladd, c. 1880
Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum,
Gift of Bates and Isabel Lowry

Through the centuries, Jesus had seen His Father work hard, too. God had sent prophet after prophet. Not long before Jesus died on the Cross and rose again, He poured out His heart about the hardness of heart He had encountered.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets
and stones those who are sent to her!
How often I wanted to gather your children together,
the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,
and you were unwilling.”
Matthew 23:37

I love that beautiful imagery that gives us a peek into our Savior’s tender and loving heart. When I searched for an illustration of a hen with her chicks, I found this touching piece.

Netsuke of Hen and Two Small Chicks
Courtesy of the metropolitan Museum of Art,
Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1910

This tiny work of hand carved Japanese art is made of ivory. It is 1 inch tall, 1 7/8 inches long, and 7/8 inches wide and is called a netsuke.* It dates from the 1700s or 1800s. I believe it illustrates Jesus’ words very well. I know that it also illustrates how you feel about your own children. What a privilege you have each day to gather your chicks under your wings. Cherish every moment.

In Isaiah 66, God compared His comfort for Jerusalem with the comfort of a mother. How sad that the scribes and Pharisees refused to accept it. You have the daily opportunity to train your children to be humble receivers of God’s comfort rather than proud people who reject it.

“As one whom his mother comforts,
so I will comfort you;
And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
Isaiah 66:13

* Wondering what a netsuke was, I found the website of the International Netsuke Society. A netsuke is a small sculpture which once served a functional purpose. All Japanese once wore the simple T-shaped robe called a kimono. Since the kimono has no pockets, a woman would carry objects in its sleeves. However, a man used silk cords to suspend items such as tobacco, medicine, and seals from his sash (called an obi) which he wore around his waist. A netsuke has two holes through which they threaded a silk cord, the ends of which were attached to the suspended object. Men could display their wealth through their elaborately carved netsuke.

 

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