Chicken, Peer Pressure and Unconditional Love
Last Sunday night, my husband and I went to a new izakaya (Japanese pub) which opened in our area. Their specialty? Chicken! We ordered an appetiser, a tray of juicy fried chicken and finished with ochazuke - rice with various toppings and broth poured over. It was a delicious and casual end to our busy week.
However, what caught my attention more than the food were the pub staff. When we entered and sat down, the waitress who showed us to our table called out, "These two customers are dining with us tonight! Ready..." To which, at the top of their lungs, every other single staff member shouted out, "Welcome to our store!" The sheer volume of it took me by surprise. It stands in sharp contrast to the idea of a high-class French restaurant, quietly and discreetly leading the diners to their table. Looking at the faces of other Japanese customers, I could tell they were surprised, too. Here it is in action:
This is a step up from the usual Japanese "Irasshaimase!" (Welcome!) called out as you enter any store or restaurant in Japan. Maybe being a new shop, they wanted to make a big first impression. It was fun watching all these lively college students doing their best to welcome their customers.
Talking to Kazu about it, however, he mentioned a darker side to cultural aspects like this. He could imagine a lot of peer pressure taking place behind the scenes, whereby anyone who isn't loud or enthusiastic enough is asked, "What's wrong? Why aren't you as energetic as the rest of us?" The truth is, many Japanese people aren't able to keep up with or fit into their culture. Maybe they're quiet or shy-natured people. Maybe they're just a bit different from everyone else. This can lead many times to alienation, or feeling left out.
This is a feeling I think we all have experienced at some point or another in our lives. We've all had days of trying to be someone we're not, or bending to pressure to make someone else happy. Watching those students and pondering all of this, I was left thankful that our God doesn't accept us based on what we achieve. His love doesn't change with my daily performance. No matter whether we're able to handle everything life throws at us, or couldn't even get out of bed in the morning, God thinks of us just the same. The way He looks at us doesn't change. His love is unconditional.
So next weekend, enjoy some crispy chicken at Gaburi Chicken, and even when you can't keep up, remember how deeply loved you are by Jesus, for simply being you.
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| I forgot to take a photo at the beginning (oops) so here are the last two pieces of chicken before we devoured them all. |
This is a step up from the usual Japanese "Irasshaimase!" (Welcome!) called out as you enter any store or restaurant in Japan. Maybe being a new shop, they wanted to make a big first impression. It was fun watching all these lively college students doing their best to welcome their customers.
Talking to Kazu about it, however, he mentioned a darker side to cultural aspects like this. He could imagine a lot of peer pressure taking place behind the scenes, whereby anyone who isn't loud or enthusiastic enough is asked, "What's wrong? Why aren't you as energetic as the rest of us?" The truth is, many Japanese people aren't able to keep up with or fit into their culture. Maybe they're quiet or shy-natured people. Maybe they're just a bit different from everyone else. This can lead many times to alienation, or feeling left out.
This is a feeling I think we all have experienced at some point or another in our lives. We've all had days of trying to be someone we're not, or bending to pressure to make someone else happy. Watching those students and pondering all of this, I was left thankful that our God doesn't accept us based on what we achieve. His love doesn't change with my daily performance. No matter whether we're able to handle everything life throws at us, or couldn't even get out of bed in the morning, God thinks of us just the same. The way He looks at us doesn't change. His love is unconditional.
So next weekend, enjoy some crispy chicken at Gaburi Chicken, and even when you can't keep up, remember how deeply loved you are by Jesus, for simply being you.
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| New Year's light display in the park on our way home. |
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