And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our
message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in
chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly,
as I should.
—Colossians
4:3-4 (emphasis mine)
In June I researched my birth surname, St. Clair, and came across historical information about the Sinclair/St. Clair clan, thought to have its origins in Normandy, France (clansinclairusa.org). I discovered a rooster on the family crest, which gave me pause. Why a rooster? A boisterous barnyard critter, not typically a bird of high esteem. Why not the majestic eagle or even a wise ole owl?
I delved further and learned that the rooster is a symbol
of courage. According to clan records, in 1066 Richard de St. Clair was awarded
“the rooster” for courage in the Battle of Hastings between the Norman-French and
the English (sinclair.quarterman.org).
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.
Residing on a farm most of my life, I am quite familiar with the ways of the
rooster, rising before dawn, crowing incessantly to wake up the sleepyheads.
That must take courage, to do what you were made to do, despite your size and
any unwelcome feedback you may receive, for not everyone is an early-riser like
me. Some folks will immediately dismiss the crack-of-dawn wake-up call, roll
over and go back to sleep. But that doesn’t deter the rooster. He continues to
chant well into the morning until even I at times want to launch a pillow at
him.
