ALL ABOUT CHICKENS

watercolor painting courtesy of Sandra Nursilo

Indonesians do love their chickens. Alive and cooked, chickens are favored.  
I remembered not so long ago, in Jakarta, when people could easily raise their own chickens in the yard. My grandma was included. Fried chickens and steam rice are a very popular combo, sold almost everywhere including at KFC and McD. Chickens do have a special place in the heart of Indonesians.

image taken from internet

Not surprisingly, there are some idioms in Indonesian language which use the word chicken.

Here are the examples :
1. Cakar ayam ( Chicken fingers ) = Ugly handwriting
2. Musang berbulu ayam ( Fox in chicken feathers )= Bad intention masked with good actions
3. Rabun ayam  (Dim as chicken's eyes)  = nyclatopia, trouble seeing when the light is dim
4. Hangat hangat tahi ayam ( Warm as chicken droppings )= spur of the moment action
5. Kaki ayam ( chicken feet ) = naked feet
6. Cap ayam ( chicken brand ) = cheap goods
7. Tidur tidur ayam ( Sleep like chicken ) = interrupted sleep
8. Mati ayam (Chicken's death ) = die in vain
9. Ayam sayur ( Chicken dish ) = weak

Indonesians are not alone in using the words "chicken". Our Lord Jesus did too. In Matthew 23:37 He said, " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone them which are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered your children together , even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not,"

Lord Jesus also used rooster as a sign to remind Peter about his sin. "Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times," he said in Matthew 26:34 

Isn't it amazing that the Creator expressed his feeling like a hen longing to gather her chicks ? It showed His humbleness and deep insight. So humble that He did not mind to identify Himself as a hen. So deep, that He understood the feeling of a lowly creature like a hen. 

Isn't it creative that  Lord Jesus used a rooster to humble the arrogant Peter. A rooster was always loud and so was Peter. He said he would not betray Lord Jesus, but look at what He did ! And it took a loud male chicken to condemn him! Poor Pete ! 

Thank God that our buddy Pete, learnt his lesson and repented. God's heart, human' heart, chicks, hen, rooster, chicken.  And that is all there is to it. 

written by: TC