How Chick-Fil-A Has Challenged My Faith

Why did I do take-out from Chick-Fil-A on their appreciation day?

Not because I'm crazy about fast food. Not because I didn't want to cook. Not because I hate homosexuals.

I ate at the fast food chain because I want to stand for something. Not against someone.

You see, I believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Not a Word from God, but the Word of God. And as far as my menopausal brain can tell, God's Word says one man, one woman. Not two men and two women. And frankly, as a Christian, I've struggled with that.

I don't understand why God said that. I've asked Him about it, but I get no answer. Well, in a way, I do. He kind of said, "Because I said so." My parents said the same thing and they were in charge of me, but God is in charge of the universe.

He answers to no one.

But still, I am puzzled.

There are other things in the Bible I don't understand. Even more things in the world. But a few months ago, I knelt down in my bedroom in prayer with my Bible and said, "Lord, I don't understand all of the Bible, but I believe it is Your Word. And by faith, I'm going to believe every word."

I'm not alone in that. Billy Graham did the same thing as a young pastor. His beliefs were challenged by a friend. He couldn't answer all his doubts so he laid them out before God and basically said, I trust you, Lord.

He never looked back. Billy Graham stood for something. He stood for Someone. I'm standing for Someone, too. Not against a people group.

The Bible speaks about a lot of other stuff, too. No one is angry when Christians feed the poor, or look after the orphans and widows. I know young Christians who've given their time and money and gone to Nigeria and Honduras, because they want to be like Jesus and do what He says.

No one is upset when missionaries go into an impoverished community and dig water wells, or teach children math, or give them clothing. The book of James is all about that. If Christians aren't taking those kinds of actions, they're not obeying the Bible.

So the Bible commands people to do certain actions, and prohibits other actions. Gosh, it even delves into our thought lives.

Did you know that Jesus said in Matthew 5 that anyone who has a lustful thought has committed adultery according to Him? He said that if someone is mad enough to kill someone, it's the same as murder. How about the ten commandments? I struggle each day with several of them, and coveting is what our crazy culture is based on.

So we are all guilty before God. We need a Savior because we all sin. The Bible says that, too. In fact, I Corinthians 6: 9-11 states,

"Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards or are abusive, or cheat people--none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

Such were some of you. And me. I still struggle with many of them. But by believing that Christ died for all of my sins—not something I do or don’t do—but His sacrificial death, I can have a relationship with Him. He is God's righteousness for me. That is what I believe. That is what the Bible teaches. God became man and died a horrific death to provide a way for man to have right standing before God. A way for me. A way for you.

It’s the way of faith. And because of that faith, I believe His Word.

I patronized Chick-Fil-A because I believe, according to God's Word, that Mr. Cathy spoke words from the Bible. And I'm all for that.

You see, I don't want to be known as a tolerant woman, I want to be an obedient woman. A woman who listens to what the Bible says to do and not to do. Oh yeah, and I want to love my neighbor like Jesus said we should.

Who is my neighbor? You are, friend. Whether or not you believe what I believe. I love you. And when you love someone, you tell them the truth. The Bible is God's truth to mankind. So I'm banking my life on it.

I'm also banking my death on it. You may not agree with me, but I don't answer to you. I answer to God.

Because He said so.