Foghorn Leghorn Was Right

I had the joy the other day of visiting with one of our high school students about what the 2020-21 school year will look like, and how they view the in-person or online education experience. They told me they would much rather be in school five days a week rather than trying to do it from home over whatever video-conferencing platform their teacher is using.

When I asked why they felt this way, the answer was absolutely profound. They said to me that when they are on campus, they are more focused. When they are headed into a classroom, it is a signal to focus on the matter at hand. On the other hand, they told me, it is almost impossible to focus when you are in your room surrounded by all your stuff or at the kitchen table with all that goes on within an average family kitchen.

Ever since that conversation, I have been thinking long and hard about these words of wisdom from this high school student - and so impressed at how they are absolutely spot-on with their observation. Further reflection has also helped me discover there is a tremendous amount of theology in that statement, for the Christian faith is nothing if not an exercise in being focused.

This concept is alluded to in Hebrews 2:1 - 

Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.

When I was a child (heck, even now) one of my favorite cartoon characters was Foghorn Leghorn. I cannot explain why; I just know that he has captivated me for as long as I can remember. One of his favorite sayings (and there are plenty of video clips online with this) was, “I say, now, listen here, boy…” I double-dog dare you to read Hebrews imagining it is Foghorn Leghorn narrating…

Foghorn Leghorn aside, I think the challenge for the faithful in all times - but especially now - is to be those who listen. Not just hearing, but listening. I cannot help but think that maybe part of our challenge is that we quite easily forget what we have been taught from the sacred texts, and our amnesia leads us to live in such a way that we wind up 180 degrees from where it is God has called us in life.

There is no escaping that we live in difficult times. There is no escaping that, like every other generation of Christians that have gone before us, being faithful to God’s calling on our life is a challenge, because so much of human nature and so much of the world in which we live leads us far away from what is God’s will. 

However, there is also no escaping that there is nothing we go through that finds us with anything other than God at our side. Jesus told his disciples that he would be with them always, even to the end of the age - and as we are reminded in Romans, there is nothing in all creation that will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The question is, simply, “Where is our focus?” The high school student I spoke of earlier was absolutely right - our environment does play a role in our focus. Are we putting ourselves in position to focus on God’s gracious presence in all of our life? Foghorn Leghorn nailed it when he said, “Now listen here, boy…” Let’s follow the old bird’s advice and listen to the witness of the scriptures that calls us to be people who listen. It is truly remarkable what is possible when we but allow ourselves to listen to God.

Grace & Peace,
Lamar