We had the privilege of sitting in the piazza in San Gimignano, Italy this week, just doing a little people watching for an hour or so. We'd walked all through the town and decided to plunk ourselves down in the center of the piazza at a fountain well and watch people walk by.
In Italy, this is known as la passeggiata -- (a leisurely stroll, especially in the evening for the purpose of socializing).
So you sit there with your cone filled with gelato and watch folks pass by as entertainment. It works. Especially in Italy. You'll have to trust me on that.
So while we're lounging on the steps of the fountain, we notice the pigeons. They're everywhere. Two are evidently courting. It's quite the scene. That stud-bird won't stop bothering that little cutie-bird. He's following her all over the square, matching her gait bit by bit - she ducks, he ducks, she turns, he turns, she coos, he coos, she speeds up, he speeds up - it's kind of sick. But we couldn't stop watching them. And smiling. That's also sick, I suppose.
The other thing of note was how the pigeons went after dropped crumbs from gelato cones, bread, crackers, etc. They'd peck at those little pieces on the ground. When they found one too big to scoop up, they'd beat it to death with their beaks until it was reduced to milli-crumbs. All they knew how to do was peck.
Peck, peck, peck, peck, peck, peck, peck.
It reminded me of the old saying (some say from Abraham Maslow, others say Mark Twain, Buddha, Abraham Kaplan, also known as The First Law of the Instrument): "If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."
I used to work for someone who only had a hammer in his toolbox. He just went around beating on everything and everybody irrespective of the problem. That was fun.
Sitting there watching the pigeons peck away at those crumbs made me wonder how many times I'd pecked at people like I had no other tool than a beak.
Knowing and experiencing God's grace personally hasn't always caused me to show that grace to others. Sometimes it was just ...
... peck, peck, peck, peck, peck, peck, peck.
There are so many ways to use something other than your beak when you're interacting with people.
-- Use words that are kind and gentle. Even when you have to correct someone, it doesn't have to be done hatefully or with a mean spirit. There's a graceful to say what needs to be said.
-- Look out for the needs of someone else. This can be done in small ways. We aren't just called to fulfill monumental needs. We can affect someone every day with a simple kindness.
-- Keep short accounts with folks. When it's time to right a wrong relationship, do it swiftly. The sore doesn't heal on its own if you wait. I will admit one of the most tempting times to peck at someone is after they've pecked at you. You may get hurt but the way you respond can help the healing begin right away. A soft answer turns away wrath. That's Gospel. A smile and a calm spirit is your friend. That's PK. So keep short accounts.
-- Forgive with grace. I'm not sure why forgiveness is so hard. Well, I guess that isn't so. I do understand it. I just don't excuse it. This is the great sin of the Christian church today - believers who love Jesus with everything, yet they convince themselves they don't need to forgive the one person they hold something against. They justify it. They argue it away. They look the other direction. They blame the other person. And in the end, they peck themselves a sore that everyone but them can see. Swallow your pride and go the final step to forgive.
-- Think how as much as what. The way you say something is as important as you actually saying something. There might be a few words in your regular vocab that need to be excised because they aren't helping you be peck-free. They aren't words that bring healing. They aren't grace words.
-- Say thanks. That doesn't cost you anything and it goes miles to showing gratitude and gratitude brings people toward you rather than pushing them away. A simple 'thanks' can make a grace difference.
-- Show interest in other folks. There's no better way to practice grace than putting someone ahead of yourself.
'Let your speech always be with grace ... that you might know how to answer every man.' (Colossians 4:6)
** This is a peck-free zone.
And be blessed.
In Italy, this is known as la passeggiata -- (a leisurely stroll, especially in the evening for the purpose of socializing).
 |
| Piazza in San Gimignano |
So while we're lounging on the steps of the fountain, we notice the pigeons. They're everywhere. Two are evidently courting. It's quite the scene. That stud-bird won't stop bothering that little cutie-bird. He's following her all over the square, matching her gait bit by bit - she ducks, he ducks, she turns, he turns, she coos, he coos, she speeds up, he speeds up - it's kind of sick. But we couldn't stop watching them. And smiling. That's also sick, I suppose.
The other thing of note was how the pigeons went after dropped crumbs from gelato cones, bread, crackers, etc. They'd peck at those little pieces on the ground. When they found one too big to scoop up, they'd beat it to death with their beaks until it was reduced to milli-crumbs. All they knew how to do was peck.
Peck, peck, peck, peck, peck, peck, peck.
It reminded me of the old saying (some say from Abraham Maslow, others say Mark Twain, Buddha, Abraham Kaplan, also known as The First Law of the Instrument): "If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."
I used to work for someone who only had a hammer in his toolbox. He just went around beating on everything and everybody irrespective of the problem. That was fun.
Sitting there watching the pigeons peck away at those crumbs made me wonder how many times I'd pecked at people like I had no other tool than a beak.
Knowing and experiencing God's grace personally hasn't always caused me to show that grace to others. Sometimes it was just ...
... peck, peck, peck, peck, peck, peck, peck.
There are so many ways to use something other than your beak when you're interacting with people.
-- Use words that are kind and gentle. Even when you have to correct someone, it doesn't have to be done hatefully or with a mean spirit. There's a graceful to say what needs to be said.
-- Look out for the needs of someone else. This can be done in small ways. We aren't just called to fulfill monumental needs. We can affect someone every day with a simple kindness.
-- Keep short accounts with folks. When it's time to right a wrong relationship, do it swiftly. The sore doesn't heal on its own if you wait. I will admit one of the most tempting times to peck at someone is after they've pecked at you. You may get hurt but the way you respond can help the healing begin right away. A soft answer turns away wrath. That's Gospel. A smile and a calm spirit is your friend. That's PK. So keep short accounts.
-- Forgive with grace. I'm not sure why forgiveness is so hard. Well, I guess that isn't so. I do understand it. I just don't excuse it. This is the great sin of the Christian church today - believers who love Jesus with everything, yet they convince themselves they don't need to forgive the one person they hold something against. They justify it. They argue it away. They look the other direction. They blame the other person. And in the end, they peck themselves a sore that everyone but them can see. Swallow your pride and go the final step to forgive.
-- Think how as much as what. The way you say something is as important as you actually saying something. There might be a few words in your regular vocab that need to be excised because they aren't helping you be peck-free. They aren't words that bring healing. They aren't grace words.
-- Say thanks. That doesn't cost you anything and it goes miles to showing gratitude and gratitude brings people toward you rather than pushing them away. A simple 'thanks' can make a grace difference.
-- Show interest in other folks. There's no better way to practice grace than putting someone ahead of yourself.
'Let your speech always be with grace ... that you might know how to answer every man.' (Colossians 4:6)
** This is a peck-free zone.
And be blessed.
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