Chinny Chin Chins

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish and five were wise.  The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.  Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.  At midnight, there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'  

Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'  But the wise ones replied, 'No, for there may not be enough for us and you.  Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.'  

While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.  Then the door was locked.  Afterwards the other virgins came and said, 'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!'  But he said in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.'   Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

“Then the door was locked...Lord, Lord, open the door for us!”   This parable sounds a lot like “The Three Little Pigs” with the wolf at the door.   Remember the story: “One night the big bad wolf, who dearly loved to eat fat little piggies, came along and saw the first little pig in his house of straw.  He said, “Let me in.  Let me in little big, or I’ll huff and puff and I’ll blow your house in.  “Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin, said the little pig.”

Of course, the third little pig built his house of bricks and was safe from the wolf.    We must stay awake and build our houses of brick.  There are many wolves asking us to open our doors.  Many of us have houses of straw or sticks, and we give in.  We’re easy pickings for the wolves.  We know neither the day not the hour when the pack arrives.

We need to keep our lamps full of oil like those of the five wise virgins.   Guided by the  light of those lamps (the light of Christ) we’ll all be able to say to those wolves knocking on our doors, “Not by the hair of our chinny chin chins!"

Deacon David Pierce