(Quotient Quizes #26)   Earl Andrews was the Senior Chaplain at the West Point Academy.  Upon his retirement, he came to Montgomery, and I had the privilege of working with him at Frazer for many years.   Earl told some great stories. 

One I’ll never forget was about a woman who went to a pet shop and bought a parrot.  The pet store owner assured her that the parrot could talk.  She carried the parrot home, but he never said a word.  She came back to the pet store the next day and complained about his not talking.  The owner said he would talk if he had a mirror in his cage so he could look at himself.  She bought a mirror and put it in the cage, but the parrot still didn’t talk.

She came back the next day and complained.  The pet store owner said he needed a ladder in the cage so he could climb.  That would induce him to talk.  She put a ladder in the cage, but nothing happened.  The next day the pet store owner said the parrot would talk if he could play with a tennis ball in the cage.  She got the ball, but nothing happened.  He suggested that the parrot needed a swing so he could relax and exercise.  She bought a swing for the cage, but the parrot still didn’t talk. 

The next day the parrot died.  The lady brought the dead parrot back to the pet store.  The man apologized and asked the lady if the parrot ever said a single word.  She replied, “Yes, just before he died, the parrot talked.  He said, ‘Don’t they have any food at that pet store?’”

I laughed a lot when Earl would tell that story.  It also made me think about some important life lessons in that story about what is really important in life.

God has a plan and purpose for each of us.  Jesus came that we might have life and have it in abundance (John 10:10).  The Bible gives the perfect recipe for life through Jesus.

But we try to find our joy and fulfillment in the wrong ways.  Like that parrot, we put a mirror in front of us to see how good we look and how we can improve our outward appearance.  We think that fulfillment and joy come in our physical appearance.  We spend a lot of money trying to look better.  It doesn’t “help us talk.” 

We try to climb the ladder of success.  We work hard going up one rung to another.  We want to get ahead of everybody else.  Somebody said that we climb the ladder of life, and when we get to the top we discover that it’s not leaning against anything!   Ladder-climbing doesn’t “help us talk.”

We also think we can find joy and fulfillment if we can play ball, and if we can excel in some kind of athletic accomplishments.  In today’s culture, some schools have over 60% of their students playing on some school team.  That’s good, but winning state championships and becoming most valuable players won’t bring that joy.  Trophies tarnish and silver platters grow dull.

Some people think happiness will come from playing on a swing.  Young people think swinging is the key.  You can visit nightclubs, be with the “in group,” and try to live a lavish lifestyle, but it still won’t “help you talk.”

No mirrors or ladders or balls or swings will bring us joy.  Joy comes when we submit to God’s will and allow ourselves to be fed by God’s word and God’s values and God’s plan and purpose for our life.  Don’t be like that pet store owner and the woman who tried everything to help the parrot talk – except to feed him – which was what he really needed.

God has a lot of “talking” for you and me to do.  Stay focused on and practice God’s purpose and plan for your life.  Surrender to that plan – feed on it – then start talking!

What is your TQ – Talk Quotient?