Hope you guys enjoy this Mike
>There once was a man named George Thomas, a pastor in a small New >England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the church carrying >a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Several >eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to >speak. "I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy >coming toward me, swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage >were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped >the lad and asked, 'What you got there son?' > >"Just some old birds," came the reply. > >"What are you gonna do with them?" I asked. > >"Take 'em home and have fun with 'em. I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out >their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time." > >"But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do >then?" > >"Oh, I got some cats. They like birds. I'll take 'em to them." > >The pastor was silent for a moment. > >"How much do you want for those birds, son?" > >"Huh??!!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain >old field birds. They don't sing-they ain't even pretty!" > >"How much?" > >The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?" > >The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten-dollar bill. He >placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor >picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where >there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened >the door, and by softly tapping the bars, persuaded the birds out, >setting them free. > >Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the >pastor began to tell this story. > >One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just >come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes >sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, >used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!" > >"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked. > >"Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce >each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to invent guns and >bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!" > >"And what will you do when you get done with them?' Jesus asked. > >"Oh, I'll kill 'em." > >"How much do you want for them?" > >"Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you take >them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill >you!! You don't want those people!!" > >"HOW MUCH?" Jesus said! > >Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your tears, and all your >blood." > >Jesus paid the price. He picked up the cage.... > >HE OPENED THE DOOR. > > >
