I find it odd that companies advertise “Vegetarian Fed” on their egg cartons as though it was a good thing. Chickens are not vegetarians. They are omnivorous which means they are meant to eat both plants and meat. Depriving chickens of bugs, worms, ants, and other grubs also deprive egg-consumers of all the vitamins and minerals they are supposed to get from an egg.
Yesterday I was rebuilding my path to the butterfly garden. Every time I moved a stone I would expose ants, worms, and grubs on the other side while my chickens were right there next to me ready to see who could be the first one snatch up the slimy treats. Chickens take in dirty, slimy things and turn them into good, nutritious things.
This reminds me of that verse in Romans that says “In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose.” God takes all our mistakes, failures, short-comings, ugly “flesh-moments,” sicknesses, hardships, and He transforms them into nutritious trials that shape our character into the likeness of Christ. He takes in our ugly, slimy, sin and gives us His righteousness.
So maybe next time you consume an egg let it be a reminder that some chicken somewhere consumed a worm for you so that you could consume its nutrients and maybe it will also remind you that God can transform anything in your life – no matter how ugly – into something good and wonderful.