The tension between a Christian and SOCIETY is highlighted in the story Tony Compolo relates as a child who entered his house, not knowing the PREACHER was VISITING. Seeing his Mom, the boy came running in holding a RAT by the TAIL. With obvious EXCITEMENT he choked out: “Look, Mom! Look at this RAT I caught out behind the barn! I SMASHED its head in with a BASEBALL BAT! I threw ROCKS at it! I STOMPED on it! I SPIT on it, and I . . . I . . . I . . .”
He then looked up and saw the MINISTER. Swallowing hard he said, “And . . . and . . . and then the dear Lord called it HOME!”