I am pretty sure that you have heard the question, ‘ which came first the chicken or the egg’?
Well, here is a new twist to that question… Is ‘the chicken in the egg’ all about aspirations or is it about expectations?
Ok… seems like I have created a bit of confusion… so, let’s make some sense of it.
An egg is an egg is an egg. We usually buy them a dozen at a time from the grocery store. And, we have certain ‘expectations’ regarding said eggs.Namely, breakfast.. ie. scrambled, over easy, or maybe an omelette. Why stop there… let’s get really sophisticated and do an eggs benedict. Ok… now we are on a roll… pancakes, pastries, baking, or just some good old fashioned eggnog.
Oh yes, when it comes to eggs we definitely have expectations. As far as we are concerned, an egg is food.
We seldom ever stop to consider that there could be a chicken inside.
There is a Chicken In The Egg. The nucleus is there, in embryonic form. And, given the right conditions and an appropriate amount of time, a chicken will come out of that egg.
At this point you may be tempted to assume that this is an argument against eating eggs.. No, far from it. Remember, chickens are also food.
The point is, if we dare to see an egg from the point of view of the chicken inside it, there develops a shift from our ‘expectations’ of said egg, to the ‘aspirations’ of the chicken.
Does the chicken really want his / her aspirations of being a chicken to be cracked and scrambled with no chance of ever walking and breathing, scratching the dirt, eating worms and stuff, sitting on a fence or even pooping on your balcony?
Did the Creator destined it to be poached? Or should it have as much of a chance as anyone else to pursue its aspirations?
Well, I can almost hear you laughing, thinking, this writer is totally weird.. well, maybe a bit.
But, sad to say, I believe that millions of humans, at some point in their lives, feel like ‘the chicken in the egg’. They feel trapped within themselves. They have aspirations, dreams, things they want to do, things they believe they can do. Plans that they have created in mind and heart, yearning for an opportunity to pursue them.
They live with a mixture of hope, pain, and disillusionment. No one seems to take their ideas seriously. No one seems to view them as ‘success potential’.
To the people around them they are just eggs, to be used according to the expectation of others, with never a thought given to their personal aspirations.
People in this kind of situation struggle greatly within themselves. They struggle and push against whatever they deem to be the barriers or obstacles that are blocking their path to progress.
They grieve over their lack of opportunity, lack of resources, lack of knowledge or means to acquire such knowledge. They long for others to take them seriously, take their ideas seriously, take their inspiration and aspirations seriously.
Now, take a deep breath and reflect on all of the people in your life circle. Neighbours, friends, family, coworkers, etc. It is highly likely that a large percentage of them are living life trapped within themselves like the chicken in an egg.
The next time you have opportunity to converse with someone within your circle, experiment with the following question. Ask, if you had opportunity and means to do what you wanted, to pursue your aspirations, what would you do?
If their answer flows along the line of… never work another day in my life, or, spend my life travelling around the world, well, put them in the stack for scrambled eggs.
However, if their answer reveals thoughts, ideas, desires to make a difference for good, I encourage you to give a serious listen to their story. You may well have discovered the next creative genius who will impact humanity in a meaningful way.
As a youth, King David, the legendary King of ancient Israel, was viewed by those around him as being suitable for not much more than scrambled eggs. His siblings, and even his father, viewed him that way. As far as they were concerned, David’s life was to be lived at their convenience, to fulfill their expectations.
David spent days, weeks, months, years, tending the family’s livestock, alone, wrapped up in his thoughts, his dreams, his aspirations. He was the chicken in the egg.
But God, who does not judge by outward appearances but by looking into our hearts, reached down and lifted him up to soar like an eagle.
God lifted him out of the depths of negativity and stagnation, and set him down in a wide open field of opportunity. (Psalm 18)
The Lord Jesus, the resurrected Christ, the Saviour of humanity, was once viewed by many as unsuitable to be Messiah. He was scrambled eggs potential, not much more.
The country’s leading scholars, the intelligentsia, the religious and political leadership, as well as some who would later believe in Him… all were asking the rhetorical question, could anything good come from Nazareth? (John 1:46)
They viewed Jesus as a person that could not be Messiah because he came from the wrong city, from the wrong family, did not attend the right school, and in their mind, He was of questionable parentage.
Jesus pleaded with them to look beyond the circumstances and see what God was doing. He told them to look at the miracles, this was Father God at work through Him. ( John 5, John 10:37-39).
Their inclination was to force Jesus into living a life based on their expectations, not on His aspirations. They wanted Him scrambled.
They once asked Jesus, who authorized you to do all this stuff? The implication was, it wasn’t us, and it definitely could not be God because they were God’s voice of authority on earth.
Here is how that conversation went…
Jesus and his disciples arrived again in Jerusalem. He was walking in the temple courtyard. Then the chief priests came to him. The teachers of the law and the elders came too. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “Who gave you authority to do this?”
Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. Was John’s baptism from heaven? Or did it come from human authority? Tell me!”
They talked to each other about it. They said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But what if we say, ‘From human authority’?” They were afraid of the people. Everyone believed that John really was a prophet.
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I am doing these things either.” (Mark 11:27-33 NIRV)
They could not or would not accept that Jesus, for whom they had no respect, could actually exceed all of their expectations and be who He said that He was, the Son of God.
So, if you are one who feels trapped inside, like a chicken in an egg, don’t despair.
For one, you are not alone. This has been the life experience of a lot of people at one time or another in their lives… including me.
Keep pushing, keep striving, keep hoping. Believe in your self, believe in your dreams, hold on to your aspirations.
Above all else, believe in God, who can do above and beyond what we ask or even imagine.
(Ephesians 3:20)
The writer of Psalm 43 was having a chicken in the egg moment. He felt hemmed in, beaten down, saddened, maybe even depressed. But he knew that God could make a difference, that God could stand up for him, so he prayed into it.
My God, when you hand down your decision, let it be in my favour.
Stand up for me against an unfaithful nation. Save me from those lying and sinful people. You are God, my place of safety.
Why have you turned your back on me? Why must I go around in sorrow? Why am I beaten down by my enemies?
Send me your light and your faithful care. Let them lead me. Let them bring me back to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. Then I will go to the altar of God. I will go to God. He is my joy and my delight.
God, you are my God. I will praise you by playing the lyre.
My spirit, why are you so sad? Why are you so upset deep down inside me? Put your hope in God. Once again I will have reason to praise him. He is my Savior and my God. (Psalm 43:1-5 NIRV)
So be inspired, rise above the limitations that others attempt to impose upon you. Believe in your dreams and aspirations and rise above the limitations that you tend to impose upon yourself. Don’t allow limitations to define you.
Above all else, believe in the Lord Jesus, and put your Hope in Him. Ask Him to reach down and lift you up out of the pit of negativity and stagnation. Ask Him to place you into a wide open field of opportunity. That He may be glorified in your life.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 NIV)
Bless Me Please God.