I was on a plane one time and had just settled into my seat. An elderly man and his wife came up and she was seated in the window seat next to my aisle seat. He was seated several rows up towards the front of the airplane. I had already put my carry-on luggage up; however, I knew that he and his wife would want to sit together.
I asked them as much, and with what I perceived as a mean look and without even a, “thanks for offering”, the old man gruffly nodded yes that he would. His demeanor seemed to me, as if he was not only unthankful for my gesture, but he was annoyed that I didn’t volunteer quicker. “So much for being gallant’”, I thought as I made my way to his seat.
I had not been able to move my carry – on luggage when I exchanged seats, so when we got to our destination, I had to fight my way through the crowded aisle, like a “salmon fighting upstream”, to get back to where it was stowed. I finally fought my way back there and after I got it down, the old man who I had exchanged seats with pointed at his luggage and “barked” instructions at me to pass it forward.
I awkwardly got it down and passed it forward. Again, without so much as even a smile, thank you, or anything, he just turned around and he and his wife deplaned. I’d been traveling extensively for quite some time, I was sick and felt bad and now this. I was pretty steamed, and as I walked off the plane I was muttering and grumbling to myself.
The elderly couple deplaned ahead of me and as I exited, to my surprise they were both standing there patiently waiting for me. They both looked at me with the kindest eyes and graciously and profusely thanked me for what I had done. They wanted to buy me a cup of coffee.
Lowdown is how I felt. About an inch tall is how high I stood. I had assumed so much about this couple that was simply not true. Actually, they were very nice people and my brief encounter with what I perceived as their bad manners had convinced me that they were a couple of rude jerks. Sometimes I form opinions of people without giving them the benefit of the doubt. I just assume the worst and that is wrong.
I am reminded this morning that Spiritual warfare is fought in our minds and not on the street. Satan whispers thing in our ears to make us think and do the worst things. I’m reminded of the words of the Apostle Peter as he mentioned the best remedy for the ills of our society and the mindset of all flesh . . .
1 Peter 4:8
And above all things have fervent
love for one another, for “love will
cover a multitude of sins.”
Be hospitable to one another
without grumbling.