You don’t like them? You obviously don’t know me very
well. I’ve posted about my visits in the
past… and not a week goes by that I don’t go there at least once, maybe twice …
even while on weight watchers.
That’s right! You’re
trying to lose weight so you can’t? Wrong
again. I’ve made my weekly visits (or
more) while losing over 40 pounds.
Sometimes I’m forced to select the grilled option or omit the waffle
fries though, and always get a calorie-free drink, but I still enjoy the
chicken.
You don’t like
chicken? What? Are you paying attention or just
skimming through until you see the key word gay? I love chicken. It’s my leaner protein meat of choice, and
the reason I give myself the right to get the breaded over the grilled is … is
there really a need to answer that? It
just tastes so great that grilled is like cardboard in comparison!
I know, you just don’t
like their business practices or the company themselves? You would be completely in error my
friends. I am fascinated by the success
of a business with a limited menu, a shorter work week, and so much consistency
in management and customer service that I know I will always be greeted with a
smile and a genuine “my pleasure”. I’ve
attended several John Maxwell led Chick-Fil-A leadercast seminars just to try
to learn how to be a better manager myself.
Obviously then, in
light of all of the recent hype and publicity, you must be gay! Really?
I am happily heterosexual, married to one woman for one lifetime,
celebrating 27 ½ years together as of next Thursday, August 9.
Ah, should have
realized, there are no restaurants near you then! Actually, there are three.
Friends, while I am a Christian, and believe, along with Dan
Cathy that God intended marriage to be between one man and one woman, and value
freedom of speech, I know that we are each on our own journey with God. I have more friends today who are
self-proclaimed homosexuals than ever before in my life. When God started bringing these friends into
my life years ago, it rocked my theological world a bit. I found myself in discussions with some of
them trying to change them. I ultimately
realized I personally had enough things needing changing in my own life that I
needed to just love them and accept them and let any changing I felt God
required up to God Himself. It wasn’t my
job. I only needed to focus on
myself. These friends are very kind to
me and accept me for who I am – heterosexual white male Christian and all
hopefully because they see my heart first.
Because almost all of my gay friends say they are followers of Jesus, I
refer to the writings of Paul in Romans 15 which reminds me:
5 May God, who gives this patience and
encouragement, help you live
in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of
Christ Jesus. 6 Then
all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore,
accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given
glory.
While Jesus Himself never spoke about homosexuality, plenty
of times He spoke of love and even proclaimed the greatest commandments of all
to involve love…love for God Himself, and love for our neighbors equal to how
we love ourselves.
So while it is important to thank a business whose CEO has convictions
he is not ashamed of, and important that in America we have freedom to do or to
not do business with any business we choose for whatever reason we choose, it
is also not a war of us versus them, especially when some of them are some of
us. Love over-rides our differences
because Christ died for all …. I respect those who took part in the
appreciation day because I’m sure their intent was good at heart. I have many friends in that group as well …
in number, probably more. I just hope we
can look at our motivations and how we treat people differently than knee jerk
reactions from both sides have done.
While I may not always agree with statements or positions of
the CEO of my own employer, he should still have the freedom to speak and to
act. I’m sure I frequent companies whose
ideals I may disagree with … maybe they aren’t brave enough to admit their
philosophical convictions for fear of losing customers. So, I
will be thanking Dan Cathy in writing with a copy of this blog instead of with my
dollars today. My sandwich can wait -- it
is not as important as declaring how much I value all of my friendships. These relationships are the vehicles that God
uses to allow us to speak into the lives of each other and how He can change
the things that need changed – which ironically may or may not be what we
actually think needs changed in our friend.
That’s why He is God and we are not.
One other point I hope that my gay friends will acknowledge... Of the hundreds (at least) of times that I
have walked into a Chick-Fil-A, or passed through their drive-through, I have
never been asked about my sexual orientation, never refused service, never
received a smile only if I was with my wife and kids, never asked if I was a
Christian … but always treated kindly and respectfully, and my money and
presence was valued exactly the same as the customer both in front of and
behind me because yes… there is always a line … much longer today I’m sure, just
one other reason I won’t be eating there.
They’ll be fine. And so will my
friends…
