Value
The Story
I went into a small business.
On the receptionist's desk was a small sign.
It read:
Chicken: $2.00
Duck: $4.00
_____________
Eggs!
I paused for a moment.
First of all, kinda good marketing from a minimalist point of view but my human analytical mind kicked in. The one that derives logic from the material presented. Our conditioned reactions to our environment.
…………………
Ok--- chickens on a farm, not rare... lower cost. Ducks on a farm, more rare. Higher cost. Makes sense.
Most would leave it there-- but not me.
Wait, so duck and chicken-- which has more value to a human? Clearly the chicken. It produces more food for humans than the duck likely ever has.
Oh, but wait— I sorta like the looks of ducks— cute, ‘waddly’, talks like a duck.
Oh wait, but it is being suggested that the duck egg has more value to the one eating it. (I don’t think I ever had a duck egg…)
Made me wonder if I've been eating the wrong eggs all this time.
In a material world in action, the process appears to have harmony and balance-- something must consume the egg. Just as the duck, or the chicken, must consume the bug (oh geeze, what do ducks and chickens eat? I need to figure that out so I love, and value, the duck and the chicken as equals to my earthly endeavors of hunting and gathering).
Or let the egg survive to chicken or duck-hood so that its offerings may be consumed…
Oh but wait—
in God's world, when we break it down, aren't the duck, the chicken, the eggs, and the consuming human …
all equal in God’s eyes?
🤵 Pastoral Word
Anthropos and theology aside, yes, they are all equal in God’s eyes— for the benefit of nature to operate in harmony. I read an essay yesterday— it said “surely you see the difference looking into the eyes of a person than the eyes of snail or earthworm”.
I thought at the time, “I have never seen earthworm eyes” but that critter is possibly more useful than humans in many ways, morbid descriptions aside. My last dog had pure love in its eyes, unwavering ever-present love. I don’t always see that in the people I encounter.
But consider this— in the creation story we were not the priority. Light, the sky, land, vegetation, sun, moon, stars. Sea creatures, birds, land animals all came before:
Humans.
What happened next?
God rested, because of all of those, the most challenging would be those he created in “his image”. Those often lacking the understanding of the divine order of things— but we look cool. Those beings that challenge God, nature, and try to be godlike themselves. Shall I go on? Quite the paradox.
I don’t know about you, but when I’m stressed out about a decision I make, I like to go take a nap— thanks for the tip, God!
But first consider:
“What about the egg?”
The egg = potential.
Chicken = ongoing production
Duck = alternative production
Egg = unrealized future
Oh but now that breaks things a little because the chicken is valuable
because it can produce eggs
but now that breaks things a little more… the egg is valuable
because it could become a chicken
and yet the entire system insists on feeding itself.
Now the whole pricing model breaks.
Because the Kingdom doesn’t run on:
scarcity
production
consumption
It runs on:
BEING
A duck does not outvalue a chicken.
A chicken does not outvalue a human.
A human does not outvalue creation.
In the world, value is assigned by usefulness.
In the Kingdom, value is inherent by creation.
We have turned value into an experience through use. We have removed gratitude of creation in our process of discerning value.
That little sign accidentally asks:
Are you pricing life… or participating in it?
Do you value what it produces… or what it is?
Are you the consumer… or part of the ecosystem?
Are you living like the chicken, the duck… or the egg?
The one producing
The one perceived
Or the one not yet realized
The sign told me what things cost.
But it quietly revealed how I measure worth.
If you were hoping for a final answer on what came first, the chicken or the egg? I believe I answered that thoroughly above.
🙏 Let's Pray
Heavenly Father,
Your creation is abundant and glorious. I am in awe of all things seen, and unseen!
We thank for you the sun and the moon,
The stars in the sky.
The animals, the waters, the fish, and the birds!
The perfect order of nature that operates independent of my influence.
And yet, I must release my need to have dominion over them. I give thanks for all Your Creation!
My stewardship of Your Creation is my purpose!
For I know the purpose of all things is deeper within the Grand Creation you made.
I shall not covet the rooster over the hen.
I shall not covet the mammal over the insect.
I shall not covet the redwood over the sage.
I shall not covet the seas over the river.
I shall not covet the sun over the moon.
…or the sunrise, over the sunset.
I recognize the value, the perfection, of all Your Creation, in any time.
Amen.
🔥Carry this With You Today
Value is assigned before I see the cost.
More thoughts that came to me if you Like … fair warning. ;)
Oh! but wait-- what if the egg is likely more male, or female? As a farmer, which among this set is now more valuable? The duck male/female, or the chicken male/female?
I would hope in my own mind of scarcity, the value of the male duck for certain! (yea, I’m baiting you— have fun with it!)
Taken to the next likely unamusing level, I, the male duck, must be worth more, despite my less likely demise at the food table for critter or human. That does ignore the preference (or supply?) of the chicken and its egg.
My ego then might prefer being a male chicken that is the preferred food over the less loved male duck (or just rarer?) . Surely if it is preservation, I must choose the duck— but that makes me less visable, or sought after, or preferred, or traditional.
Oops— small miscalculation. It’s the female chicken laying the eggs that clearly has the highest value. That equals more preferred yet, more exploited— that’s not good! (sorry lady chickens).
The rooster has sharp spurs, chooses not to lay eggs, and get’s pissed off when you impose your world on it. The hen, quietly— I suspect with love— lays eggs. In harmony with creation. With creation as its purpose!
...the rooster has some allure then— talons and all… BUT
I think I’ll operate higher on the “food chain” since the previous murky philosophy will surely get me in trouble. (self-preservation the only thing at work here— I hope you see the duality, perhaps the humor).
If not, “go lay an egg”. Look up the etymology of that phrase if you want a real exclamation point on this topic.
Love and blessings!
