the    sides

After 10 days in Europe, the first thing my kids wanted to do was eat at McDonalds. They ate at McDonalds in Budapest. Burger King twice. They wanted happy meals.

So in a moment of sheer parenting brillance, I asked them why not something different - like Outback Steakhouse or Chic-Fil-A?

“Mic Dawn Alllls, Mic Dawn Alllls, Mic Dawn Alllls,” Cayden chants.

So as I am standing in a line 10 deep with one person working a counter of 6 registers, I began to question why kids love McDonalds. It can’t be the service. It can’t be the food. So why do parents all over the world, subject their children to such monster?

I may be stretching here - could be the jet lag - but I think some of the reason is an indictment on us.

It’s predictable. You know what you are going to get. No real surprises. It’s not great food but it isn’t horrible either. You get a cute, useless, disposable prize with the meal. It’s cheap. It’s fast - supposed to be, but not today. It’s convenient. It’s safe.

I think this McDonaldlization is spilling into other areas. Like church. Discipleship. Our love affair with Jesus. I think that some of us treat our church and times with Jesus just like a trip to McDonalds. We know what we want, we know we want it fast, and we want to be left alone after we got what we want so that we can enjoy it.

The cure of this I am sure is steep but so worth it.

Gotta go, my turn at the counter.