Chick-fil-A ‘Bully’ Teaches Bible Lessons to America

by Bob Pawson

Adam Smith, whose rant against Chick-fil-A and bullying of a drive thru clerk named Rachel went viral on YouTube, seems to have committed what could be called ‘Employment Suicide’ by getting himself fired as CFO of a medical supply company as a consequence. In actuality, Smith unwittingly ran headlong into a series of Biblical principles. Let’s take a brief look at a few of them.

The only item Smith ordered was a free cup of ice water. As Smith told Rachel, he did so in order to “take a little bit of money from Chick-Fil-A.” At that point, Smith ran smack dab into Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Having succeeded in taking a little bit of money from Chick-fil-A, Smith also managed to take out his own entire salary and benefits in the process. As the Lord says in Joel 3:4, “I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.” Some might mislabel it as ‘karma’, but we Christians know it was the Holy Spirit teaching an object lesson – to a man – and to a nation. The Law of Reciprocity is indeed awesome.

Smith also encountered Matthew 25:35, “I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…” and verse 40, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Smith didn’t know it, but Rachel, and Dan Cathy, and Chick-fil-A were simply doing what Christ calls upon Christians to do as daily routine ministry. In serving a cup of cold water to Adam Smith, they were serving Jesus – and they were being Christ to Smith. Smith’s dishonorable motives and ill-will were of no concern or interest to them. Smith thought that he was stealing something from Chick-fil-A; but you can’t steal that which is being given away freely and generously in the name of the Lord.

 It is interesting that the name ‘Rachel’ means “God’s Lamb (ewe)” – showing once again that ‘coincidence’ is God’s way of being subtle. As Smith’s own YouTube video reveals, Rachel’s gentle grace and meek spirit shone through as the real power at that drive-thru window. (See Proverbs 31:10-31) You go, Girl! I exhort Adam Smith, and all who read this essay, to contemplate the fuller context by reading Galatians 6:7-10 and Matthew 25:31-46 which is subtitled, ‘The Sheep and the Goats’.

A closing admonition to Adam Smith: Your name means ‘man’. I urge you to play the man; to be the man: proffer your sincere and humble apology to Rachel, Dan Cathy, and Chick-fil-A. Remember, you will indeed reap what you sow. By the way, and this is no secret: Rachel, Dan, and Chick-fil-A harbor no animosity towards you; indeed quite the opposite. You are welcome to a ‘free’ cup of water from them, or any of us Christians, at any time. Best of all, Jesus offers you the same Living Water which he gave us. It’s yours – for free. Just ask Him. Agape’.