Morning Thought 3
Wednesday January 4th 2017
"You coming with the shoeboxes is the most eagerly awaited day of the year. We thank you
for coming back each year to us". That was what one head teacher
said to us in a needy village and all children in his school had brightly
smiling faces and excitement sparkling out of their eyes.
But in a nearby village in the small
kindergarten it was a very different reception we got. Soon after we walked in
we heard a young child's loud crying which continued non-stop. The teachers
tried a number of times to placate him but without success. He wailed so loudly
the rest of the class couldn't sing for us. It was explained to us that the
doctor had come to school a few days before and the little boy had decided we
were doctors and he was terrified.
We hurriedly gave out the shoeboxes
and retreated -- as we went to the next class we heard the wailing
subsiding.
It was a shame -
it spoilt the boy’s enjoyment of receiving his first Christmas
shoebox and affected all his class. If only he had listened to his teachers
when they told him we weren't the dreaded doctor, but a group bearing gifts.
Often we can be like that boy. We
jump to conclusions and do not listen to what others say. At the start of this new year let us decide that from now we will listen better,
really listen giving our full attention. We may not change our minds, but if we
have listened to another's point of view, we
have opened ourselves up to the possibility of change.
Remember doubting Thomas in the Bible?
If he had listened to the other disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead, he
would not have mourned the loss of his friend Jesus for that extra week, but
instead he would have rejoiced.
Have a good day.