Hank Smith didn't really know what a pecking order was until his future father-in-law showed him live chickens and explained the concept. One chicken eats until it gets pecked on the head by another chicken and goes away — and so on.
But he had participated in a pecking order in high school. He wanted to be popular and did what it took to get there: being mean to kids who weren't popular.
In "Thou Shalt Be Nice," his latest talk on CD released by Covenant Communications, Smith relates stories from his high school years. He also issues the "Laura Larsen Challenge."
When he was a sophomore in high school, he met Laura, a 4-foot-11 senior, in his seminary class. "She glowed," Smith tells the audience. He told himself, "That girl's happy."
But her example wouldn't mean much to him until his father overheard him saying something very nasty about someone else. Smith felt the "death grip" on his shoulder and the glare, so he resolved to change. "I'm going to be nice," he decided.
Smith, a seminary teacher who lives in West Jordan, Utah, goes on to tell about experiences in his high school art class and efforts to transform himself into someone who stood up for what's right.
He must have succeeded, because his mother told him at one point, "You glow." And he shouted, "I'm Laura Larsen."
His challenge to listeners is to show genuine charity to others. "Sometimes you have to choose between being cool and being Christ-like," he says.
Smith uses humor — at times a touch irreverent — to make his points. The only thing missing is being able to see his expressions and body language, which no doubt helped him build rapport with his teen audience.
Robert Walsh