Old McDonald Had a Farm….
Mrs. McDonald goes out to check on the many chickens she is raising. Due to the high demand for inexpensive meat, these chickens are raised using antibiotics that will help them mature faster. (In the 1950’s it took 84 days to raise a chicken…today it takes about half that time.) This would all sound like good news except for the fact that Mrs. McDonald has to regularly pull out the chickens who’ve died because of the many physical conditions that arise from raising chickens in such an unnatural, unhealthy way. The chickens are raised in dark, cramped conditions, walking around in their own …(well, you know what…) It wouldn’t bother Mrs. McDonald too much except for the fact that her constant exposure to these antibiotics has made her allergic to any and all antibiotics.
This scene is a reality in our country and could be repeated when we’re talking about cows and pigs as well. Inhumane conditions exist so we can feed ourselves as much and as cheaply as we desire. But oftentimes we end up hurting ourselves more by doing so – not only do we introduce unwelcome chemicals into our bodies but we give ourselves even more opportunity to be overweight and unhealthy.
So what is a godly response to all this?
I’m reminded, first of all, that it was God who created all living things. Secondly, Adam was given the responsibility of caring for the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15).
For some the response may to be giving up eating meat altogether. For some of the rest of us that idea is a bit hard to swallow! However, we can act in ways that show we value what God has made – we can be responsible consumers from the meat we eat to the chocolate we crave (which is often produced from children bound by slavery). This is a great time and a great opportunity to be a Christian – not only do we know what is the right thing to do but we have lots of reasons to do so. As a believer in a loving, eternal God who values His creation more than I can know or understand, and as a creature made in His image, I have every reason to be supportive and an advocate for those who are trapped as the result of unhealthy desires.
Just keep in mind this verse, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
I Corinthians 10:31
Youth Department