Aunt Carol

(I posted this awhile ago somewhere else and I thought it would be a nice reminder (and model) about loving others)

My Aunt Carol is a nurse and all the nurseypooh's wear little pins on their shirts when a holiday is near. Some had eggs, some had bunnies etc. but my Aunt Carol had the star of David and Passover pins. A Muslim lady approached her and said "your pins offend me", and my aunt said that she was sorry but her pins should not Offend her because her veil (or whatever you call those things wrapped around her head and body) did not offend her. My aunt was very nice.

So later on, the Muslim lady approached her again and said "I just have to tell you that your pins offend me and I want you to take them off". My aunt said "I don't understand why they would offend you - I'm not offended by your dress". Then the Muslim lady spoke with a superior there who later went to my aunt and asked her to take off her pins. My aunt (still being nice) said something like, "I'll take off my pins if you take off your Easter pins, and so-and-so takes off her bunny pins, and the Muslim lady takes off her veil". The woman said they wouldn't do that, so my aunt said she would not either. The other woman said that the Muslim lady will probably go to their boss to discuss this and that she should go as well.

So, later that day, my aunt went to her boss and told him the story - standing behind her was the Muslim lady who reiterated what she said earlier. The boss didn't know what to do - he was stuck in a hard place.

Here's the neato part....My aunt said (paraphrased)..."I'm not offended by your dress and my pins are not meant to offend you. My God says I have to love you and love my enemies. You are not my enemy but I am to love you. So in obedience to Him, and to prevent Mr.(so-andso) from making a tough decision, if you REALLY want me to remove them, I will". The stunned Muslim paused and said "No, that's ok" and walked out.

Talk about love!!! Whew!!! I think that's great - although I probably would not have said that - I would have thought of some snappy comebacks or pulled out the charts and graphs and had a couple of ACLJ attorneys nearby. haha Her way (His way really) is MUCH better!!!!!