Years ago when my oldest son was a wibbling, wobbling toddler, I will never forget the day his stuffed Curious George went sailing through the aisle at our local grocery.\u00a0 While first appalled that my son would turn his beloved companion into a public projectile, I couldn\u2019t help but chuckle as George came to rest in the narrow gauntlet between multiple canned goods.\u00a0 I may have even grinned from ear to ear.<\/p>\n
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Unfortunately, my laughter quickly subsided, as George landed a mere 3-4 feet in front of one of those motorized carts, donned by an obviously, elderly lady.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI\u2019m sorry, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 My son threw his favorite stuffed animal.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Instead of the articulated grace perhaps far too naively expected, the lady\u2019s countenance turned immediately stern, glaring at me, squinting her eyes, and then retorting, \u201cYou need to get better control of your children!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I was shocked.\u00a0 What?\u00a0 I need to get better control?\u00a0 There is no grace for a harmless throw of Curious George?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let me tell you what I did not…<\/p>\n I did not conclude that all elderly women are as withholding of grace as she.\u00a0 I did not conclude that all persons on motorized carts have lost respect for the rest of the waiting world.\u00a0 No.\u00a0 I made zero conclusions about the elderly nor those on those oh-so-cool motorized carts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, my sense is that refraining from making conclusions \u2014 when we have 1 \u201cbad\u201d experience \u2014 is the rarity as opposed to the norm.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How often do we do that?\u00a0 How often do we make conclusions about an entire demographic because of a singular experience?\u00a0 For example…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have you had 1 \u201cbad\u201d experience with a Christian?\u00a0 (\u201cBad\u201d equates to harshness and immediate judgment.)<\/em>\u00a0 Have you had 2, 4, maybe even 17 \u201cbad\u201d interactions?\u00a0 There are billions of Christians on this planet.\u00a0 Even 17 so-called \u201cbad\u201d experiences pale in comparison.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have you had 1 \u201cbad\u201d experience with a Republican or Democrat?\u00a0 (\u201cBad\u201d equates to arrogance and a clear failure to listen.)<\/em>\u00a0 There are millions of partisans on this planet; they are not all the same.\u00a0 In fact, I have a brother who is a state legislator.\u00a0 He is ethical, fiscally responsible, and he listens to those he represents.\u00a0 More of our representatives \u2014 regardless of party \u2014 should be like him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have you had 1 \u201cbad\u201d experience with a member of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) <\/em>community? … or with someone who believes LGBT behavior is unnatural?\u00a0 (\u201cBad\u201d equates to so passionate they actually justify condescendence of persons with differing opinion.)<\/em>\u00a0 I have friends who are gay… and friends who believe homosexuality is sinful.\u00a0 I have both<\/em> who still love and respect their neighbor.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Friends, one of the most accepted forms of arrogance on this planet is when we make judgments about entire people groups because of 1 \u201cbad\u201d experience.\u00a0 Sure, we don\u2019t feel it\u2019s only 1.\u00a0 We find other likeminded persons to \u201camen\u201d our experience, so we\u2019re never confronted with the darts that pierce our self-inflated bubbles; we\u2019re never confronted with the reality that challenges our self-created<\/em> reality.\u00a0 In other words, we allow 1 or 2 or even 17 \u201cbad\u201d experiences to tell us what we want to hear \u2014 as opposed to be on a continuous seeking of actual truth.\u00a0 Too many times, experience trumps truth.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When the lady at that grocery challenged my parenting, I wish all could have witnessed the astonished look on my face…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u00a0 I need to get better control of my children?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I knew her response was not the response of all people.\u00a0 It was not even the response of all elderly women on motorized carts.\u00a0 Hence, I smiled, paused, and said the first thing that came to mind…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHave a nice day, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 I will, too.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Respectfully…<\/p>\n AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Years ago when my oldest son was a wibbling, wobbling toddler, I will never forget the day his stuffed Curious George went sailing through the aisle at our local grocery.\u00a0 While first appalled that my son would turn his beloved companion into a public projectile, I couldn\u2019t help but chuckle as George came to rest … <\/p>\n