Barnyard Learning

What do you call someone who attends events but seldom is observed taking a role that others clearly see? How would you describe someone who is fluent in the language of the culture and through words, phrases, and actions appear to be engaged and knowledgeable? Thinking about clothing and accessories do you think it is safe to say you would have a good idea of where someone has been or what they are involved in based upon how they look? Honesty is one of those self evaluating traits others will see in us especially when we exhibit good judgment and understanding about others and the position and condition they might be experiencing. Caution, just because the truth maybe known doesn’t always mean we should express it publically. Yet, working through the areas of black, white and gray will demonstrate respect we have for others and confidence they will build in us.
I know individuals who sit on porches to observe to see who is driving up or down the road on Sunday and based upon the clothing folks are wearing we attempt to confirm our suspicions as to whether or not someone is headed to church. If you see someone with a Bible in their hands we think they must have been to church, or they must be a preacher. After all, we know only preachers and evangelist carry Bibles, right?
Listening to someone that quotes a Bible verse or tells a Bible story is all the evidence necessary to confirm if someone is a Christian, right? Honesty is always tough, but I’m confident most of us would agree that we can spot a Christian by the clothes they wear and their actions and mannerism right?
Many individuals would say I don’t judge people that way, but if we were to be honest with ourselves, we must say yes, we know folks that do. The expressions “going to the chicken house doesn’t make you a chicken and going to church doesn’t make you a Christian”. A true expression, so a good question to ask is what does make you a Christian. Certainly if you look like a chicken, lay on your eggs and eat scratch feed, you are no doubt a chicken. I guess we could say the real test is to “ring your neck” remove the feathers, clean you up and after cutting you into pieces and frying you that would prove if you were a chicken or not for sure.
When it comes to Christianity there are many different signs one should look for, but the real evidence of your heritage is when your actions and words match up. I remember as a child running around after the chickens in my grandfather Hobert’s barnyard. I would chase after the chickens up to the hog pin, into the barn where the cattle were, and even on the front porch where my grandmother Stella and I would sit in her green chairs. One fact for certain, even though the chickens had been chased into a lot of different places there remained chickens.
As a Christian we should be reminded in watching others that the place folks become a Christian is in the heart. It would be nice if everyone that confessed the name of Jesus allowed their heart to speak in actions and words, but it’s not always the case. I remember watching my grandparents chickens walk among the cows and even the bulls in the field and stalls, seemly unafraid of a kick or being stepped upon.
Today, the world could use some folks who can be distinguished for who and what they are, no matter where they are. Life is a big farm with lots of different characters doing their thing, as they should but with a clear self awareness of who they are in the picture of things. A cow is a cow, a chicken is a chicken and a Christians should be a Christian.

Until then