Billy watched unhappily from the open window of his back bedroom as his mother hung out the laundry. “Will I have to stay here until Dad comes home?” he asked.
“Yes, Billy, but I’ll be in to have a little talk soon.”
Soon his mother was seated beside him, and the little seven-year-old boy sighed as if his heart were weighed down with trouble.
“If only it wasn’t so hard! I started to come home when the boys began throwing rocks, but they all said I was ‘chicken."'
“Oh, that word again! Really, Billy, it has been the cause of more sin and unhappiness than we can imagine! Why, Billy, it has sent boys into a life of crime—or even death. Who knows how many young folks have wanted to refuse that first cigarette, that marijuana, those drugs and drinks, but couldn’t stand to be called ‘chicken'? Tell me, Billy, would it have taken courage to come home today when you wanted to?”
“Oh, yes, Mom; lots of it!”
“Also, would the Lord have been pleased? As it is He is greatly dishonored. Old Mr. Brown, whose garage window you broke, is very upset, to say nothing of Mommy and Daddy. The poor old man is cross and unpleasant, but we should try to help him if he’ll let us. Those boys made you feel you’d be a coward and a sissy to go home, when the truth is, you were a coward to stay and do what Satan told you to do. The next time someone calls you ‘chicken,’ I hope all the red lights start flashing in your mind and that you won’t let Satan muddle your thinking. Remember that verse, ‘The fear of man (and boys) bringeth a snare.’ (Prov. 29:2525The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe. (Proverbs 29:25).) Then, of course, you shouldn’t even be playing with children who like to destroy property. Do you remember the song about Daniel? ‘Dare to be a Daniel; dare to stand alone....’ And just think, God referred to Daniel as a ‘man greatly beloved.’ That’s of more value than being the most popular person in the world. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.'" (Matt. 5:1111Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. (Matthew 5:11).)
ML-12/26/1982