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Important Lessons from The Little Red Hen

Do you remember reading The Little Red Hen when you were young? As a child, I remember learning several lessons from this book.

Five adult hens of various colors and two yellow chicks eat feed from the ground in a coop. The text reads: "Lessons from The Little Red Hen" and "www.homewithgraceandjoy.com".

In my Bible reading, those same lessons have kept coming to my attention. I want to share a few lessons from The Little Red Hen that I was reminded of in the Bible.

Summary of The Little Red Hen

A brown chicken, reminiscent of The Little Red Hen, stands on the floor of a wooden coop, surrounded by wood shavings and feathers. The coop features wire fencing and sturdy beams, with another bird partly visible on the left side.

The little red hen lived on a farm with her chicks. She found a wheat seed and decided to do what she needed to do to turn the seed into bread. This was a lot of work as she had to plant it, cut it, thresh it, carry it to the mill, and then make the bread.

An illustrated childrenโ€™s book, The Little Red Hen, is open on a table with a leafy centerpiece and gold candle holders. The pages show a basket and story on the left, with a cow, pig, dog, cat, and the little red hen on the right.

The little red hen asked for help from the other farm animals, but no one wanted to help.

  • One was too lazy.
  • Another was consumed with his own activities.
  • The other one thought he was too good.

She was disappointed and exhausted, but she took on the jobs alone.

When the bread was ready and all of the farm animals could smell the aroma drifting through the farm. At that point, they all wanted to help eat it.

A round loaf of rustic, crusty bread sits on a wooden cutting board atop a beige cloth and a dark surface. The bread has a golden-brown, cracked crust.

You probably know how the story ended – they did not get any bread! The little red hen and her chicks ate the bread.

A childrenโ€™s book, The Little Red Hen, is open on a table with a white cloth and gold candlesticks. The illustrated pages show a cow, pig, and goose with bread, next to a basket of rolls, on a yellow wooden floor.

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What Does the Bible Say?

In John chapter 4, Jesus was talking about the “harvest.”

“Don’t you say, ‘There are still four more months and then comes the harvest?’ Listen to what I am telling you: Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest. The reaper is already receiving pay and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.'”
John 4:35-37

Did you catch it? We are not meant to do everything? The Lord calls us all to do different tasks in His Kingdom.

One plants, someone else may water, another person fertilizes, and someone else may be the person who reaps. All of the roles are just as important as the others.

If no one planted and took care of the plant, there would be no harvest or reaping.

A variety of chickens, including white, brown, black, and speckled, gather on the ground near a red building in a fenced outdoor enclosure. Some are eating while others walk around, evoking a scene from The Little Red Hen.
They are all concerned with their own comfort.

On the other hand, we need to do our part. If we don’t, we are being just like the farm animals and leaving all of the work for someone else.

Lessons from The Little Red Hen

Several chickens of different colors peck at the ground near a chain-link fence. Some eat together while one brown chicken, reminiscent of The Little Red Hen, stands apart facing forward. A yellow extension cord lies on the dirt.
  • Working together lessens the pressure for one person to get things done.
  • Always help others when you are able to do so.
  • Don’t expect to have a share in the harvest if you don’t invest or help.
  • We all have a unique purpose and mission to fulfill.
  • Each role in the Kingdom is important. They are all different, but they work together to get the results.
  • When we do our part in the Lord’s work, we can rejoice.

The Victory

A hen, reminiscent of The Little Red Hen, sits on hay inside a coop, surrounded closely by five chicks of various colorsโ€”black, white, and gray. In the background are a wooden post and a corrugated metal wall.
Her family was happy and blessed!

In The Little Red Hen, the one who did the work got to enjoy the bread. In John, “The sower and the reaper can rejoice together…” What a blessing – when we do our part, regardless of what that is, we get to rejoice in the harvest.

The next time you get the opportunity to spiritually plant, water, fertilize, or reap, take it. Not only will the ones you pour into be blessed, but you will be blessed and get to experience true rejoicing!

Related Posts

Delicious Bread Recipes

In the spirit of the little red hen, I thought I would share a couple of delicious bread recipes. ๐Ÿ˜Š

A round loaf of artisan bread with a crisp, golden crust sits on a wooden cutting board next to a beige cloth. Text reads โ€œEasy Bread Recipe & Delicious Artisan Breadโ€ and "www.homewithgraceandjoy.com".

Nothing beats homemade fresh bread straight out of the oven, especially when it is easy! This easy and delicious artisan bread recipe allows you to have homemade bread with ease. It is literally the easiest homemade bread recipe I have ever made.

Get the easy recipe here.


A slice of cornbread on a white plate sits on a wooden table with decorative lace placemats. Silverware and stacked plates are visible in the background.

If you like cornbread see, “How to Make My Parentsโ€™ Homemade Cornbread Recipe.” Talk about delicious!

Both of these recipes are wonderful! I hope you will give them a try and share your thoughts.

What do Roosters Have to do with Anything?

Collage with three photos of different roosters in grassy areas, highlighting rooster symbolism and meaning, with text reading, โ€œWhat Do Roosters Have to Do with Anything?โ€ and โ€œwww.homewithgraceandjoy.comโ€ on a beige background.

Roosters can also remind us of some pretty powerful messages. Read the post below which was based on one of Jay’s Sunday morning messages.

Scripture

A wheat field with "Harvest Time," a Bible verse from John 4:35 urging us to look at the fields ready for harvest, and a touch of Apron Strings charm. Website: www.homewithgraceandjoy.com at the bottom.

“Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few.'”
Matthew 9:37

Be one of the workers!

Song

Have you heard “Do Something” by Matthew West? It is appropriate and powerful! Listen to it and let’s all do something this week.

The Book

The Little Red Hen cover shows a brown hen in a yellow hat and sweater, planting seeds in a pot. Bees and butterflies fly around her, with a blue fence, watering can, and yellow accents brightening the scene.

They have the book, The Little Red Hen in a Little Golden Book now! If you have little ones, it teaches lots of great lessons.

Let’s take these lessons from The Little Red Hen (and from the Bible) and apply them to our lives. We will all be better for it.

Until next time…

A delicate circular floral wreath encircles the message "have a grace & joy-filled dayโ€”controlling the tongue!" with the name "susan" below, all depicted in soft brown and green

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After he said these things and had taken some bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all of them, and after he broke it, he began to eat.” Acts 27:35

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14 Comments

  1. peggy taylor says:

    Susan,Thank You So Much For All Your Messages, Menus & Sharing Your Sweet Spirit With Us. You Are A Blessing,Love You Sweet One.,

  2. Susan, what a beautiful lesson. I love how the little red hen interweaves with what Jesus said and his teaching.
    Visiting today from SSPS 227 #56&57

  3. Good lessons!
    I always appreciated the Little Red Hen, but realized that sometimes we are still all given something (or many things) that we didnโ€™t work for! Always have to find that balance!

    Blessings,
    Laurie

  4. Such an important lesson– and one I’ve been drilling into my boys since they were quite little.

  5. I love how the simplest of children’s books can teach us things we forgot along the way. Susan, thanks for taking us there!

    1. I do too. It makes me wonder how many other stories I heard as a child that I didnโ€™t realize were making an impact spiritually.

  6. Love this! You might call it, “The Parable of the Little Red Hen.”

    I’m glad He does expect us to do all the planting, watering, fertilizing, weeding and harvesting. We each have a job to do.

  7. It is amazing how children’s stories remain with us and continue to bring truth into our lives. Today the little red hen reminds me that work shared is halved and there is much joy afterwards. May we not shrink back from our responsibilities and have willing hearts to help others.

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