Poultry Banned From County Fairs

The summer heat always makes me think of county fairs and 4-H animals. In the past we have spent many sultry evenings exercising pigs and walking goats, sheep, and even a steer. What a spectacle our family has made as we have strolled down our country road leading our goats and sheep on leashes like most people would walk a dog.

In more recent years we got into raising chickens. That is why a recent article in the Farm World weekly newspaper caught my eye. It seems that this year avian influenza has hit the bird population all across the Midwest. This is why at least nine states have banned all poultry from their county fairs.

What a disappointment for those families who have spent time and money raising their layers, broilers, ducks, geese, or turkeys! It seems a shame to keep all birds from the fair just because some were infected with the avian flu. But there is a good reason for this.

To introduce one sick bird into a small area could spread the disease and quickly infect all the birds in the barn. Though this strain of flu does not usually affect humans, there have been some rare cases reported where someone has gotten sick. It is just not worth the risk.

I couldn’t help thinking about another disease that has caused havoc amongst the human race. From soon after the time of creation, Adam and Eve decided to disobey God and through them sin entered into the world and death by sin. Because of this tragedy they were forced to leave the beautiful Garden of Eden that God had created for them. Worse than that they broke the relationship they had with their heavenly Father. From that time forward every human who has ever lived has been born with a sinful nature. There is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10)!

There may be people who live good and productive lives, but the Bible says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has been guilty of all.” Even the tiniest of white lies or a wrong thought makes a person guilty of breaking the whole law. There is no one who can escape this malady.

God can’t let sin into His holy presence, so sinners are not allowed into heaven. That dooms all of us to life apart from our heavenly Father. Thankfully God made a way to correct this problem and heal this sin disease by sending His perfect Son, Jesus Christ.

His death and resurrection are the antidote to this horrible problem we all have had since birth. By believing in Jesus Christ we are cleansed from our sin and able again to enter God’s presence and have a relationship with Him by grace through faith. What a gift and blessing!

If you visit a county fair in the Midwest this year, don’t even bother going to the chicken barn. It will be empty and silent until they can figure out a cure for the avian flu. This is so sad! But the good news is that you don’t have to be kept out of heaven because of your sin disease. God has made a way to gain access to His presence through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Make sure to tell all your friends about this great news!

Oh, and I’ll see you at the county fair later this summer!

Love,

Mama