Chicken Story

Genesis 1:26-27 says God
created humans in his own
"image" and "likeness."

Randy was spending the summer on the farm with his
grandfather. One day, he and his grandfather went into
the chicken coop, and Randy 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. Randy 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.
Randy watched as Grandpa rubbed medicine into the
sore. "Why do the other chickens peck this one?" he
asked. "Well, Randy, 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 Randy. "Right you are, Randy,"
said Grandpa, "but do you know that people often do the
same thing?"
"They do?" asked Randy, 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. Randy
immediately thought of a boy named Darrin. Some of the
other boys teased Darrin about his bright, red-orange hair. Randy 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.
Randy 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!"
So how does this story apply to our lives?
Well, Randy learned that some people act like chickens. People like to pick
on people who look differently from themselves. The "picking" may take
different forms, but it still hurts--and it's still wrong. Randy also learned that
something positive can be done as his grandfather intervened to stop the
abuse from continuing.
I wonder how many chickens exist in the workplace,
too. The only difference between corporate chickens
and farm chickens is that the former are educated,
intelligent and well-dressed. (Yes, dressed chickens!)
Corporate chickens pick on those who are lower in
rank or who have a smaller paycheck. The corporate
chickens give that air of rooster pride and arrogance
and lord it over those who stand farther down the
corporate ladders.
The next time you see someone verbally abusing a
security guard, a janitor or a messenger, you can be
sure that person is a chicken. The next time you find
someone picking on his or her househelp, driver or
gardener, you can be sure that person is a chicken.
Genesis 1:26-27 says God created humans in his
own "image" and "likeness." So don't be a chicken;
respect people no matter what. Do not show
favoritism or prejudice because of someone's physical characteristics,
economic status or rank in life. Stop wrongful actions from continuing and do
what you can to promote positive attitudes between different racial groups.
That's good citizenship and good theology.

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