Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6, NIV
It was early in October when my daughter, Emily, and I walked into a large store behind an adorable little girl who looked to be about two or three years old. Just inside the door, a large mechanical witch was triggered and began to shriek and move her arms and long twisted fingers. Emily tried to run between the witch and the little girl to keep her from being scared, but there was too much distance to cover. The little girl stood staring at the witch for a moment and then unexpectedly walked right up to it and began to hug it! The mechanical witch continued to squirm and screech but the little girl held on tight, refusing to let go. Her mother finally pulled her away, and with a final kiss on the witch’s cheek, she smiled and waved goodbye.
“What just happened?” Emily asked.
“A life lesson” I replied.
Awestruck by the girl’s response, Emily was willing to listen. I explained to her that the witch seemed unlovable to us. She was scary and looked different. Nothing about her was appealing to us, but the little girl looked deeper. Somehow, she equated the witch’s shriek with a need for love.
Likewise, the complaints, language, appearance, and sometimes downright offensiveness of other people may prompt us to judge and even act offensively back at them. But all of these actions may just be a cry for attention or a need to be noticed and even loved. I am sure that you have come across some scary people who you would have rather circumvented, but after hearing their story or offering some care and concern to them, they were changed and maybe you were too.
What do onlookers see when you face something scary or difficult? Do they see love and patience? Do they see caring and unselfishness? Do they see the unexpected? Does it draw people to watch in awe? This little girl’s reaction left us wishing we could be more like her.
Dear Lord, we pray today for the salvation of our co-workers and our students. Please help us to love the unlovely with Your great love and show extra grace and mercy. Thank You. Amen.
Copyright Kathy Branzell.
Kathy has a heart for encouraging Christian educators and currently serves as the President of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. Prior to this role, she was the founder and president of Fellowship and Christian Encouragement (FACE) for Educators.
