Bickerville

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I live in Bickerville. My wife and I moved there about 17 years ago. Over time, Bickerville has grown in population by 5. That’s a really small town, right? Bickerville is special, though. Nothing about it seems small. It seems like there’s a very loud town fair every night that ends late. Court’s always in session with one of the recent residents arguing his or her case against another resident. I’m the Mayor, by the way. Every now and then my wife (the Chief of Police) and I got to court to make our own case against the other. Whenever we do, the whole town comes out to watch. It’s a very lively place.

Bickerville is private; you won’t find it on any map. But, unlike Atlantis, it’s real.

A Friend of ours lives in town at the Inn (not sure why He doesn’t buy a house; says the Inn is fine with Him). He will frequently stop by. When He does, He usually reminds us that Bickerville needs reform. I’m the Mayor, by the way, and sometimes I don’t take too kindly to my Friend and His observations. He’s frequently persuasive, though. Reform is tough. I mean, I’m ALL ABOUT IT, but sometimes my Chief of Police puts up a fight or the residents (they’re snarky) pitch fits. ‘Course, if you talk to the Chief, she’d say I’m snarky. But, I’m the Mayor (that’s what I tell myself).

Life in Bickerville can be tough. Especially when all of us storm the court to make our case against another. We do find that when we listen to our Friend and He mentions other towns – we like those stories. Still, Bickerville is familiar to us and those towns sound far away. One time, He took me with Him to one of them – it was amazing. I told the Chief about it and she thought it was cool as well. One time, we were all convinced that one of those towns could be our home – so we all moved!

When we got there, we found out that it was called: Bickerville. Strange.  My Friend did live in the inn there, though. I was glad.

Christian Chicken

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Every couple of months I get a publication, Discipleship Journal, that helpfully guides Bible study. It is a very practical and useful (and full!) publication. They’ve got this section of short takes or quotes, “Currents: Beliefs and Values in Today’s Societies.” This is where I read about Christian Chicken.

Chicken on the way to Chicken Church

As a Christian, I tend to think of myself as “purposely avoided” by non-Christians. In other words, if I think of myself as anathema to someone, it makes it easy for me to avoid them. If I’m avoiding them, well, then I’m safe. No? Well, here’s what I learned today about this fact:

75% of non-Christians “would be willing to listen to someone talk about his or her Christian beliefs”

78% of non-Christians “would enjoy an honest conversation with a friend about religious and spiritual beliefs, even if they disagreed with the friend”

28% of non-Christians “think the Christians they know talk to them too much about their beliefs”

[source: www.lifewayresearch.com]

OK, some observations. First, this proves the existence of Christian Chicken. How many Christians do you know who actually share their belief in Jesus Christ with others? How often do you do it? This silly survey shows us that there is no reason for us to refrain from sharing good news except that we’re flat out chicken.

Secondly, this also proves that Christian Chicken stinks. I know you’ve had the experience of opening a package of rotten or rotting Chicken – it is almost unforgettable. It stinks; it’s bad; it will make you sick; it is sick. Christian Chicken stinks in this same way. God Himself has told us that there is no reason to be chicken. Now, if my son told me that there’s no reason to be chicken that’s one thing, but for God to do so should mean something completely different for me. But, it usually doesn’t. That stinks.

Why would we assume that God didn’t prepare people to hear the best news they could ever hear? It’s not as if you’re about to tell someone they’ve got something hanging from their nose.

Lastly, Christian Chicken gives Christian a bad name. I wonder how many people look at Christian Chickens and think to themselves, “what they believe mustn’t really be that significant – they don’t really tell anyone about it.” Of course, that is to say that Christ’s leaving paradise to come to a desert, live perfectly, die because of the wrongdoing of others – in their place, and rise again is also insignificant.

What will they do when they’re older?

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Cruising the net a while back, I found an article that I thought was amazing. Amazing may be strong but nonetheless it stopped me cold. Students at a high school in Wilbury Connecticut will get money for passing AP exams. See for yourself: http://wcbstv.com/topstories/CT.Exam.Cash.2.700819.html. When I was a senior in high school, these AP courses were just coming out. I had AP Biology with a wonderfully demanding short-just-recovered-from-cancer-pistol-of-a-woman teacher. She was excellent and the class was brutal.

In the last few years, I’ve met kids who take multiple AP courses – torturous (and what for?). Nonetheless, what’s the deal with this school in CT? I know the article doesn’t indicate any foul play by the school (funding provided by a grant) but the concept of financial rewards for difficult jobs is so mercenary.

No doubt it will be effective as it appeals to our baser motives: avarice and accomplishment. But what it provides is a lesson in “why you should do things hard.” Of course, the short answer is “you will make money.” But what if that isn’t actually the answer most often given in life? Am I baiting my children with the promise of higher rewards (good college, a BS, nice trophy spouse, sizeable diploma, pride, big fat salary) in order to get them to do something hard? Man will that backfire.

Tell that to Justin Martyr.

Justin’s Second Apology was written soon after Marcus Aurelius became emperor in 161. In these writings, Justin tried to show that the Christian faith alone was truly rational. He taught that the Logos (Word) became incarnate to teach humanity truth and to redeem people from the power of the demons.

Four years later, Justin and his disciples were arrested for their faith. When the prefect threatened them with death, Justin said, “If we are punished for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, we hope to be saved.” They were taken out and beheaded.

(from http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/special/131christians/martyr.html )

Not too many beheading these days (at least in the West). However, when our children grow up and are asked by God, the church, or their conscience to step up to something that has no financial benefit whatsoever (but is right), will they have been trained to do it?

Now, maybe I’m being dramatic. But, at the most greatly esteemed and feared United States Military Academy (from which I graduated), they made us fold our socks so they smiled. Why? Did it matter all that much? Not in the moment. But, if I were to have been planning a combat mission, would attention to detail be important? Of course. And how would I have learned it? With my socks.