Love: A Story About Chickens
A STORY ABOUT CHICKENS OBSERVATION Many good lessons can be learned
from simple things. Here's one from chickens. A STORY ABOUT CHICKENS
Perry was spending the summer on the farm with his Grandfather.
One day, he and his Grandfather went into the chicken coop, and
Perry scattered a handful of grain over the floor. The chickens
scrambled madly for it, but one chicken was having trouble. Every
time it tried to eat, it was pecked by the others. Perry saw a
red spot on the chicken's neck. "Look, Grandpa!" he
exclaimed, "That chicken is hurt!" Just then a big rooster
jabbed the sore on the neck of the chicken, making it even larger.
Grandpa picked up the chicken and carried the squawking bird out
of the pen. "Come on, old girl. We'll put you in a separate
place until your neck heals," he said. Perry watched as Grandpa
rubbed medicine into the sore. "Why do the other chickens
peck this one?" he asked. "Well, Perry, I can't tell
you exactly why," answered Grandpa, "but this is the
way chickens act. They always pick on those who are different
from the rest, and on those who are hurt." "That seems
stupid," said Perry. "Right you are, Perry," said
Grandpa, "but do you know that people often do the same thing?"
"They do?" asked Perry, surprised, "How?"
"When others have skin that is a different color, or perhaps
their eyes or noses look a little different, some people make
fun of them," explained Grandpa. Perry immediately thought
of a boy named Bro. Tony. Some of the other boys teased Bro. Tony
about his bright, red-orange hair. Perry was glad now that he
had not joined in the teasing -- but felt bad that he had not
tried to stop it either. "It's too bad when people act like
chickens," continued Grandpa. Perry looked up at his Grandfather
with admiration. "Grandpa," he said, "what the
chickens were doing to this one was cruel. I'm proud of you for
helping her!" HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO OUR LIVES? Perry learned
that some people act like chickens. If a person looks differently
from themselves, they pick on that person. The "picking"
may take different forms, but it still hurts -- and is wrong.
Perry also learned that something positive can be done as his
Grandfather intervened to stop the abuse from continuing. Don't
act like those chickens. \reference{Genesis 1:26-27}{Genesis 1:26-27}
says God created humans in his own "image" and "likeness."
So respect people no matter how they look. Refuse to show favoritism
or prejudice because of someone's physical characteristics. And
to help stop wrongful actions from continuing, do what you can
to promote positive attitudes between different racial groups.
That's good citizenship, and good theology. "Honor one another
above yourselves." \reference{Romans 12:10}{Romans 12:10}