JANUARY 6, 1 Peter 3:17

Marcy marched into the house and headed for the kitchen where Mom was preparing dinner. “I am never going back to school again!” she announced, slamming her books on the table. “I hate it there! Some of the kids were acting up and misbehaving today, and they wanted me to join them in teasing the new girl in class. When I wouldn’t, they chanted, ‘Chicken! Chicken! Marcy is a chicken!’They make me so mad.”

“Hmmm,” murmured Mom as she got out a pan and opened a can of food. “Why, look at this!” she exclaimed. “The label on this can says ‘green beans,’ but there are peaches inside.”

“Oh, good! I like peaches better than green beans,” said Marcy with a grin. Then she remembered her problem. “But what am I going to do about being called ‘chicken’ at school?”

“When I was a girl, we used to say a little rhyme,” said Mom. “It went like this: ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt

me.’”

“But words do hurt sometimes,Mom,”said Marcy.“They hurt inside a person.”“Yes,they do – if you let them,”replied Mom.“What do the other kids mean when they call you ‘chicken’?”

“That I am scared. Chickens scare easily, I guess,” replied Marcy. She looked thoughtful. “Hey, you know what? I think some of those kids are the real chickens,”she added.“They are afraid they will be laughed at if they stand up for what is right.”

“Well, I am glad you weren’t afraid to do that,” said Mom. “You are not a chicken. You were not scared to do the right thing despite what the crowd did or said.”

“I knew I had to do what was right,” agreed Marcy.

“Mom picked up the can of peaches. “No matter what label was put on this can, these are still peaches, and that is what counts,” she said. “And Marcy, it is what you really are that counts – not what you are called. The next time this happens, you can say, ‘No, I am not a chicken. I am a Christian, and I am not scared to act like one.’”

Thought: Dare to stand up for Jesus!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me to stand up for Jesus. Help me to always stay true to Jesus. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.