She Pecked Me!!

Holy Spirit tends to teach me a lot when caring for chickens.  I'm resisting the urge to ask Him if He's comparing my brain with the size of theirs.  I'm a little nervous about what His answer may be.

Today's lesson involved collecting produce.  

I opened the nesting boxes today, and a hen was still in one of the boxes.  As I reached in to collect the eggs, she pecked me!!  I flicked her back, perturbed that she would have the audacity to peck ME!  I feed her.  I make sure she has water.  I clean her coop, for goodness sake!  How dare she turn on me!

Holy Spirit nudged me in my ribs.  Uh oh. 

"You do the same."

"How do I do the same?" I asked Him.  I still  stung from the hen; now Holy Spirit wanted to pick on me too?  But, I quieted my emotions, and opened my heart.

"Think about your reaction when you received the book back from your editor.  You were offended that she picked apart your writing, weren't you?"

"Yes," I admitted.

"Who fed you the words and helped you write it?"

"You did."  I began to see His point.

"So who does it belong to?  Is it yours to protect and defend?"

"No, Holy Spirit.  It's yours."

"Then don't peck at your editor - even in your thoughts.  Your job is to simply produce, take her suggestions for improvement, and give up your offense.  It's mine."  

And I quietly gave it back to Him, and resolved not to be defensive.