I was just sitting at the table taking a break while waiting on some water to heat up on the stove when I saw the delivery person with a large package inside the fence trying to open the screen door. When all of a sudden, I saw him jump and run trying to get around the large package in the way, then I looked up and saw Nelly running and bucking, making a beeline to the house, not the dude. Oh my goodness, it was sooooo funny! However, putting myself in his shoes, I too would’ve run like she’s a wild hog prepped to tear me up or something. I was laughing way too hard, and all she wanted was to come in the house…hahahahahaha. Oh my goodness! My daughter went out to meet the guy to reassure him…and let Nelly in. The guy even said he didn’t know if she was the guard dog or something since the other pups were in their fenced area, hahahahahaha…laughing too hard.
The reality of this though, is that here I was with the information and experience I had around Nelly to not see her as a threat, that she was just so excited for the potential treat she was going to get, knowing she is harmless, at least to people, your toes may not be safe nor Pookie our small dog from being stepped on, but all in all she would run and scream if she sensed harm, or she feared. Now from the other perspective, not knowing this strange animal, maybe not ever being around pigs in general, except what is portrayed on tv, you know the wild deadly hogs, then being a delivery person and encountering dogs that may be territorial and attack, being vigilant looking for such threats, to coming into the yard to see this 100lb pig running and bucking in your direction, then of course the response was correct. Same situation, two different sides of the story, two different experiences, but both were the correct response…well maybe my extreme laughter was not, lol. We need to recognize that because we have specific knowledge or experience in regard to a situation doesn’t make another person’s lack of such and response from that wrong. We are so quick to judge the circumstance, or the response based on our own understanding and fail to recognize the empathy necessary for others. It wouldn’t have been so funny if I had the same experiences as the dude, I may have been cheering him on to run and close the gate if I had. Because we have some information that another might not doesn’t make them less than, whatsoever, it simply means they haven’t seen this yet. There are many things out there that we are in the same boat with. We really need to humble ourselves, and quit demeaning other’s based on their responses of circumstances we have so-called “overcome”. Be the person open to see other’s struggles valid, their pain valid, their hope valid, their dreams valid, their aspirations valid…and be the person ALWAYS open to learn!
How many of you out there have allowed people to tell you the same story over and over again, and respond like it was the first time? How many of you have allowed people to tell you something you already knew, like it was the first time you heard it? How many of you are humble enough to let other’s the opportunity to share their experiences, to tell their stories, to give what they have to invest in you? How many of you did this to other’s and they were the one’s listening to the story, receiving the wisdom of experiences, like it was the first time they heard it?
Who knew a funny story would end up as shifting our perspectives, in us searching ourselves to be humble, stay humble, and seek out more humility?
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” James 4:10.
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselvestherefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” I Peter 5:5-6.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” Romans 12:1-5.