esppodcastwithdrjamesdallen.buzzsprout.com
Transcribed from the ESP Podcast with Dr. James D. Allen
https://esppodcastwithdrjamesdallen.buzzsprout.com/
A few years ago, while in line at the Orlando Airport, I saw a little girl come dancing in with her parents. Blonde, little curls, bubbly, around five years old, a little pink frilly princess dress, and just plain adorable (not as adorable as my granddaughters but adorable). She had in her hand a large helium-filled foil princess balloon. You know the kind, the ones you often watch at Disney as they rise into the sky! The little girl was skipping up to the counter with her parents. Ready to go home with her souvenir balloon in tow.
Then trouble, the mean lady at the counter said the balloon would have to be deflated! The little princess did not understand the consequence of the lady’s demand. It is hard to untie a foil balloon, and so a pin was the answer. The mom just could not do it. The mean lady at the counter took the balloon and stuck a pin right into the heart of the balloon princess and the adorable princess. Blondie cried out in absolute horror; her tears flowed down her face, and the sadness and disbelief on her face brought tears to my eyes and resentment for the mean lady behind the counter.
Can’t a little one take a balloon on board in a bag? If it got loose, would it terrorize the passengers and cause them to storm the cockpit door? No! Heros on the plane would have stepped forward, captured the balloon, and returned it to the princess. I watched as that little princess, still holding on to the string of her balloon, dragged the deflated balloon behind her—a very sad ending to leaving Disney, the happiest place on earth.
That mean ol’ lady behind the counter, didn’t she have a heart? As I reflected on the mean lady, my attitude changed about her. The mother could not do what was necessary to board the plane. She could not pop that balloon. She could not reach into her little princess’s heart and prick it with pain. It had to be done, but she could not do it. The lady behind the counter offered to do it for the mom. I look back, and I am sure she took no delight in breaking the heart of a princess. She stepped in because of her compassion for the mom. She willingly performed the nasty deed to keep mom from being implicated. She most likely was a mom also. She empathized with this mom and took the blame and pain on herself.
First impressions of incidents may not be the best gauge of what is going on. Reflection on events tends to offer us different interpretations. James 1:19 tells us: Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. (NLT) So we are to be anxious, ready, intent on listening, and slow to speak. Slow to speak: give time for reflection, evaluation, sensitivity, etc. Most of us, me included, act as though we have two mouths and one ear. What would happen if we really reflected on things, or at least held our judgment until we knew the facts. I would have been wrong to go up to the mean lady and tell her what I thought!! I could think it, but not say it. Once I was able to reflect, she went from mean to an empathetic and compassionate person.
What have you prejudged and later realized you were wrong? How about now? The sorrowing princess evokes a myriad of emotions, but the mean ol’ lady also evokes emotion and appreciation. Let’s give others the benefit of the doubt. Let’s listen to one another and be slow in responding.
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Dr. James D Allen
Dr. Allen served as a seminary VP, pastor, and as a trustee on a Christian mental health Board. He has earned a BA, MA, MA Biblical Counseling, Doctor of Ministry. Dr Allen has also preached on 5 continents, lived in 3 nations, and so has a diverse Christian experience. He has a distinguished career of being a pastor, consultant, author, and educator. MY FIRST LOVE--Being a Pastor and encouraging others!