got this from 'Just give me Jesus', chapter four.
The story is told of a man who, while walking down the street of his town, passed the window of the local pet store. He could see a giant iguana sunning itself on a rock, furry kittens tumbling head over heals as they kick-boxed a small toy back and forth, and doe-eyed puppies excitedly yapping at the kittens. But what caught the man's attention and caused him to stop and stare was the most magnificent bird he had ever seen. It sat regally on a perch in the middle of the window display, haughtily preening its brilliant feathers. Its head was a shimmering cobalt blue, its wings an iridescent yellow, its throat ruby red fading into a misty rose on its chest. The beak and feet gleamed ebony black, as did the fierce, intelligent eyes.
The man couldn't resist. Inside the pet store he noticed a sign posted near the bird that said in large block letters: "This bird is guaranteed to sing." He inquired as to the price and was told he could own the bird for one thousand dollars, which would include the cage.
The man gasped. But in spit of the sticker shock, he paid the price and proudly took the bird in its cage home. The rest of the day, he watched and waited, eagerly anticipating the bird's song.
By the next morning, the bird still had not sung, so the man returned to the pet store "What could be wrong?" he asked. The clerk apologized, "sir, didn't i tell you? the bird needs a ladder. He will climb the ladder, then he will sing." The man bought the ladder for twenty dollars, took it home, put it in the bird's cage and waited expectantly for the bird to sing. The bird climbed the ladder but sat at the top in silence.
The next morning the man returned to the pet store and told the clerk the bird still had not sung. The clerk apologized again and said 'I'm sorry. I forgot he needs a little bell. He will climb the ladder, ring the bell and sing' The bell cost twenty-five dollars. Back home, the man put the bell at the stop of the ladder in the bird's cage. The bird climbed the ladder and rang the bell, but that was the only sound coming from the cage.
The next morning, he returned to the pet store and was told the bird needed a 30 dollar mirror inside the bell. Back at home, the bird climbed the ladder, rang the bell and looked inside the mirror, but it didn't even chirp.
The next morning the man strode resolutely into the pet store. He pounced on the clerk and angrily recounted his purchases totalling $1075 --- $1075 for a bird that didn't sing!
The clerk answered that the bird would definitely sing if he installed a thirty-five dollar swing in the bird's cage. The man pounded his fist on the counter as he paid for the swing and warned that if it didn't work, he would return the bird and expect a full refund.
The man stormed back to his house, put the swing, crossed his arms, and stared at the bird. Sure enough, the bird climbed the ladder, rang the bell, looked into the mirror, and swung on the swing --- then it fell to the bottom of the cage, dead!
The man was aghast! He grabbed the cage with the dead bird, took it back to the pet store, slammed it on the counter, and yelled hysterically at the clerk:"I bought a bird for a thousand dollars and all the extra stuff. Not only does this bird not sing, but it's dead! what went wrong?!"
'Oh."the clerk responded,"did i forget to tell you? He also needed birdseed."
The bird had everything but the one thing it really needed, not just for a song, but for life itself. It needed birdseed!
What about you? Is something missing in your life, someting that you can't define? Perhaps all you know is that life doesn't seem to be enough for you.
Has your search for your 'song', for joy and happiness and meaning, caused you to choose a 'ladder' - a way of climbing up in your studies, seeking better results, devoting yourself to greater success in your tests and examinations? when that didn't work, did you decide you needed a 'bell' - a way of drawing attention to yourself by increasing your public reputation, visibility or fame? Did you become more frustrated when that turned out to be another dead end? perhaps then u rushed to get a 'mirror'- a way of remaking your image through cosmetic surgery, dieting, weightlifting, jogging, an exercise video, or a membership at a spa where you sculpted your body? As a last act of desperation, did you chase the 'swing'- by throwing yourself into pleasurable pursuits, entertainment, fun? As a result, do you find that at this moment you are beyond frustration and totally exhausted in soul and spirit? You just died on the inside. Hasn't anyone told you? You need 'birdseed'. You need the basic Necessity for real life. You need Jesus. He makes change possible when life isn't enough.