Living for God
Series
Proverbs 13:1 “A wise son heeds his
father’s instructions.”
If You Eat Fried Chicken You Are
Going To Get Greasy
I remember when I was an adolescent and visiting my
grandparents in Cronicville, several people warned me not to hang out with two
brothers who moved not far from the farm. They were slightly older
than me and had a reputation for trouble. However, I didn’t
listen. For a couple of weeks I spent a significant amount of time
with them.
One day several windows were broken in an old abandoned
store. People said three boys were there and everyone was sure it was the
two brothers. Some people thought the third boy was me.
Fortunately, I had an airtight alibi. My grandfather
called me by my embarrassing nickname and said, “If you eat fried chicken you
are going to get greasy.” I looked at Granddaddy and said, “What in
the world does fried chicken have to do with this?” He laughed and said,
“Son, that’s just an expression. You know on Sunday when your grandmother
makes fried chicken and we all eat it, we use twice as many napkins – don’t
we?” No doubt, I still looked incredulous. He
said, “It’s just like if you hang out with bad boys when they do something
wrong, people are going to think you’re a little greasy because you hung out
with them.”
Periodically, I told my children when they were
associated with something that could have gone wrong, “If you eat fried chicken
you are going to get greasy.” They looked at me with the same
incredibility that I had on my face when my grandfather said those words to
me. Now there is a basic truth for all of us in
that. We must be careful who we associate with and what we do
because the paths we choose definitely color who we are.
Proverbs 13:1 says, “A wise son heeds his father’s
instructions.” Little witticisms such as my grandfather’s words do guide
and instruct. It is important that we follow the wise instructions
of other generations. I have now found that I have become a person who has lived
for many years and I can see the wisdom in my grandfather’s words.
The world has forgotten the true significance of a sterling
reputation. Proverbs states in 22:1, “A good name is more desirable
than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”
We must use wisdom in our choices and our relationships
because my grandfather was right, “If you eat fried chicken, you are going to
get greasy.”
Prayer:
Dear God, help me to stay away from evil and always seek
after good. Amen.