The Cricket

The Cricket

A couple of years ago we had the opportunity to visit the WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana.  It is a fantastic museum and I’d highly recommend investing a day of your time visiting it.  One of the really neat things about it is that while we were viewing exhibits, WWII veterans who volunteer their time at the museum, come up and talk to you and recount their stories about serving our country during that time.

One of the veterans came around the corner near the glider exhibit, pulled a brass object out of his pocket, and began clicking it.  We asked, “What is that?”  The veteran replied, “It’s a cricket.”  When we didn’t know what he was talking about, he began to explain.  This gentleman was in the 101^st Airborne and he parachuted into Normandy in the early morning hours of the D-Day invasion.

A real lifesaver

Military commanders knew that when they landed the paratroopers would be amongst the enemy.  The American soldiers knew that they had to assemble with other American soldiers and complete the mission when on the ground.  But how?  How could you tell if you were among friends or enemies?  The paratroopers would be landing sometimes on top of the enemy.  Germans were everywhere!  Enter the Cricket.  The cricket was a toy that was actually originally given as a toy in Cracker Jack boxes.  When pressed, it makes a loud “cricking” noise – hence named the cricket.

"Crick"

The veteran explained to us that upon encountering another individual in the dark, pre-dawn hours, the American paratrooper would click on his cricket one time.  If the person clicked back on their own cricket, you knew that you had found another American soldier.  If the person didn’t click back, you shot him.  I asked the veteran, “What happened if you lost your cricket?”  He answered, “Oh, you didn’t lose your cricket!”  It is very interesting when you think about the fact that a children’s toy helped ensure that the D-Day Invasion was successful.

Answer: "Crick!"

As with many things in normal everyday life, this little story about the cricket has a spiritual application as well.  As Christians in an increasingly secular world, we find ourselves “behind enemy lines.”  Many people are antagonistic toward people of faith and religious liberty is being threatened.  The Bible even tells us that we will be persecuted for our faith.  So how are Christians to know if they are amongst other Christians?  Is there such a thing as a “Christian Cricket?”  Of there is!

Jesus, in the Gospel of John, chapter 13, verses 34-35 said the following:

”A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

And there you have it – the Christian Cricket!  We are to Love One Another!  All men will know that we are believers by the love that we show each other.  Don’t lose your cricket!