Defending the Weak

Our chicks hatched. It was the most exciting, fulfilling few days of the whole school year. Over the course of two days, 18 new babies cracked out of their shells. After they were all done, one late little fella was still struggling, unable to get himself out of his shell. In pity, after watching him for almost 24 hours, I did what you’re not supposed to do – I cut a longer crack in his shell to help him make it out. It worked. He finally broke free and after a few hours he figured out how to stand. He was scrawny and little with patches of feathers missing where he had dried out and gotten stuck to his shell in his long struggle to be free.

When I put him in the brooder with the 18 fat, healthy chicks, they immediately started pecking him. I reached my hand in and pushed them away and they started pecking my hands, trying to get to him. One of those two-day-old little fluffy bullies even had the nerve to bite me.
In an effort to keep him safe I made him a little cardboard wall and gave him his own food and water. The biggest of his 18 brothers and sisters went right on pecking at the walls.

My kids were very happy to see him safe behind the wall, and were very angry with the little chicken bullies.

It immediately prompted a discussion about bullying. I said, “You know, guys, there are going to be times when you see someone being bullied and you may need to be the one who builds a protective wall around them.”

They tipped their heads the way Kindergartners do when they’re processing new ideas. I continued, “The walls you make won’t be made of cardboard; what do you think they will look like?” They talked about telling the bullies to go away and one brave guy flung his arms out and said, “I would stand like this in front of him so they couldn’t get to him.” I thought, “Yes! They get it!”

I want my children to be defenders of the weak. There’s a praise chorus we sing at church based on Isaiah 40:28-31 that says, “You’re the defender of the weak; You comfort those in need; You raise us up on wings like eagles.”

Our baby chickens  will never soar. They’re stuck pecking the dirt for the rest of their short little lives. But you and I and our precious children can soar. We have a God who strengthens the weak and powerless and who renews our strength; a God who equips us to defend the scrawny little chickens around us (even if it means we’ll get pecked in the process).

Be a defender and a protector. If you’re not brave enough, call on the God of the powerless, and then come find my kids. They’ll teach you how to do it.