Dear Family of St John’s
Many years ago, when my boys were still in Pre-Primary, I had to deal with a “fat, ugly chicken” situation. I arrived at school to fetch my son and immediately noticed he wasn’t his usual happy self.
As we chatted about his day, he suddenly burst into tears. Another boy had called him a “fat, ugly chicken”. Well, all my protective-mom instincts kicked in, full force! Fortunately, I managed to keep a level head and didn’t go storming back to the school to tackle the 4-year-old who had hurt my son’s feelings.
Instead, I asked, “Are you fat?”
“No,” he answered, seriously.
“Are you ugly?”
Again, “No.” And the look in his eye told me he was starting to catch on to my line of questioning.
And then I asked the clincher: “Do you have feathers? Are you a chicken?”
That did it – he burst into a fit of little-boy giggles. “NO! I’m NOT a chicken!” We concluded together that the other little boy clearly didn’t know what he was talking about, and that my son didn’t need to take his words to heart.
That was the first time I remember having to teach one of my children that not everyone’s opinion needs to matter. I taught them to think for themselves, to value the voices of those who truly know and love them, and to be confident in who they are and their abilities.
I’ve always admired how confidently both my sons have carried themselves – so much more sure of who they are than I was at their age.
But this past week, I started to question my teachings a little…
You see, my eldest son cycles to and from university. On his way home, he often stops at the local supermarket to pick up groceries. When he first moved to Potch, he decided he needed a basket for his bicycle. Fair enough. But now he’s taken things a step further: to stop the groceries from toppling out, he’s constructed a makeshift basket cover out of a mesh orange’s bag, held in place with cable ties and paperclips. Yes – an orange mesh bag, cable-tied to the front of his bike!
He tells me he’s received a few odd looks, but he doesn’t see the problem. It works, so why should he care what anyone thinks?
It seems that now, I am one of “the others” whose opinion doesn’t carry the weight it once did! His own mother is an “other”!
This whole situation made me think:
How confident are we in our faith?
Are we just as bold and secure when it comes to declaring what we believe – whether in words or in the way we live?
Do we ever feel we need to conform, to tone down our witness, because of what others might think?
Are we afraid of being called names – modern-day versions of “fat, ugly chickens” – by a world that doesn’t understand what it means to follow Christ?
Perhaps we could learn a little from a guy with a mesh bag and a basket. When we know who we are – and whose we are – we can move through the world with joy, purpose, and confidence, even if we get the occasional odd look.
As Paul writes in Romans 1:16 (NIV): “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.”
This verse is a wonderful reminder that the gospel isn’t just good news – it’s God’s power at work in the world. It doesn’t need to be dressed up or protected from criticism. And we, as followers of Jesus, don’t need to be ashamed of living out our faith. Even if the world around us doesn’t always understand, we can stand firm in the knowledge that our identity is rooted in Christ.
Just like my son confidently rides through Potch with his orange mesh solution, may we move through life with the confidence that comes from knowing we belong to God.
With love,
Your friend and rector,
Claire