Judge-and-Jury Syndrome

 

 
Great Article!

 

I was at the local pool when I noticed a frightened adolescent taking swimming lessons.  "No! No, please, I can't!" she begged.  She stood a head taller than the rest of the beginner swim class, but she sobbled like a four-year-old.

"Jump in, I'll catch you!" her teacher called.  The girl bawled, "No! I can't!"

"Why do they pamper her?" I said to my friend. "Her fear only gets worse the longer they delay."

A third coach tossed the weary instructor a life preserver. It took both adults to drag the girl to the water and lower her into the arms of the teacher.

"Well, its about time!" I thought.  "They should have done that fifteen minutes ago"

Another instructor appeared before me.  "That girl went boating with her parents and brother last summer.  The boat capsized, and her father managed to save only her.  She watched her mother and brother drown. Now her father insists she learn to swim."

Those words stung.  I looked at the drenched child as she climbed out of the pool. I had not witnessed typical childish fear - I'd just seen a young girl cross a terrifying mountain.

Forgive me, child
Forgive me, Lord

Character Builders:

• Have you ever discovered that your perception of someone else's attitudes or actions was inaccurate? What did you learn from that experience?
• How can you be more wise in your discernment about others?