The Parable of Chippie

Once there was a little bird named “Chippie.” One day Chippie was sitting in his cage, singing one of the sweetest little bird-songs you’ve ever heard. Peacefully he sang, with an expression of contentment on his little bird-face you couldn’t help but have appreciated if you had seen it.

Chippie never knew what hit him. Ssswwppp! That was all he heard, then there was nothing but total blackout. What Chippie didn’t know was that his owner had decided to clean his cage with a vacuum.

She had stuck the nozzle of the vacuum into the cage to suck up the seeds and feathers at the bottom, when the telephone rang. She turned to pick it up and had barely said hello when – ssswwppp! Chippie was a goner.

She shrieked in horror at what she had done, dropped the phone, and turned off the vacuum cleaner. She nervously unzipped the bag and there was Chippie, stunned and covered with dust, but alive. So she did what any compassionate pet owner would do: she grabbed him and rushed to the kitchen sink, where she turned on the faucet full blast and held Chippie under a torrent of ice-cold water, power washing him clean.

Then she noticed that Chippie was soaking wet and shivering. So she did what made perfect sense. She snatched up the hair dryer and blasted him with hot air. Chippie’s eyes sort of rolled back in his head, so she stopped.

I’m sure you’re concerned about Chippie and wonder if he survived. He did, but he doesn’t sing much anymore. He just sits and stares off into space, and slightly twitches a little sad bird-twitch every now and then.

Who wouldn’t? Sucked up, washed down and blown over! It’s enough the steal the song from any stout heart. Sometimes you just don’t see it coming, do you?

Sometimes life sucks you up, hoses you down and knocks you over, with no warning at all. Unlike Chippie, we don’t have to be helpless victims that simply go with the flow. As children of a loving Father, we can experience victory through every situation, because our victory doesn’t come from our circumstances. Our Victory is a Person.

What is the answer to the unexpected traumas of life? The answer isn’t a what. It’s a Who. As always, the answer is Jesus Christ. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. Being a Christian in no way insulates us from the trials of life, but it does guarantee us that we will come out safely on the other side.

Your Savior is a sovereign, loving, attentive God. Through the course of your lifetime, there are numerous reasons why He allows you to have your own “Chippie crisis moments.” One thing you can know, though, and that is that He is with you and will guide you through your trials at every moment.

Maybe you’ve been sucked up, hosed down and knocked over by life. You don’t have to sit in a cage twitching now. You can sing again because the Melody of Life isn’t found in your circumstances but in Christ. Paul and Silas were caged and sang at midnight. You can sing too.

Your Father loves you. Don’t give up and don’t give in to your circumstances. Your Father will bring you safely through your trial. “So don’t fear; you are more valuable than many birds” (Matthew 10:31).