“Omg, how can someone be so stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid,” muttered Jenny as she fumbled with her locker. She hadn’t realized Mrs. Ellis, her English teacher, was walking down the hall towards her. “Are you practicing a dance move, or are you frustrated with someone?” Mrs. Ellis asked with a gentle smile.
“Hello, Mrs. Ellis,” Jenny sighed, abandoning her struggle with the locker. She hesitated at first, but then relented under Mrs. Ellis’ watchful gaze. “It’s about Brian, the guy in my math class.”
“Why are you calling him that?” Mrs. Ellis inquired, her tone full of concern. “Doesn’t sound very nice? Is he having troubles in school or failing his tests?”
“I don’t really know about his tests,” Jenny replied. “What I do know is that he’s kind dumb, like socially i guess. He always seems to say the wrong thing at the wrong time and makes everyone uncomfortable. Today he said something really dumb that embarrassed me in front of everyone.”
“Why do you think that?” Mrs. Ellis asked, leaning against the wall next to Jenny.
“He just doesn’t seem to understand how to interact smoothly. He ends up putting people off rather than engaging them,” Jenny explained, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
“It sounds like there’s a lesson to be learned from him, though,” Mrs. Ellis suggested, her eyes thoughtful.
“Learn how to be dumb?” Jenny chuckled dryly. “Why would I want to learn that?”
“We can always learn something from every person don’t you think? We either learnt one of two things.” Mrs. Ellis responded with an wise smile. ” You either learn something you can do, or something not to do. It sounds to me like you are learning what not to do pretty well from Brian.”
“Well, if you put it that way…,” Jenny conceded.
Mrs. Ellis continued, “A wise person is one who learns from ALL people. And it goes both ways too Jenny. You can either teach a person a good thing to do or something not to do. Not just in your own words, but also in your actions and the way you treat someone. It seems to me like you could actually make a big impact on Brian by teaching him a good thing or two.”
“You can either leave leave Brian ‘dumb’ or you can help him to improve. The choice is yours.“
“The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom; whatever else you get, get understanding. Extol her, and she will exalt you; she will bring you honors if you embrace her;”
– Proverbs 4:7-8
Many of us can relate to Jenny’s moment of exasperation. Who hasn’t felt annoyed by an annoying person and their character flaws? Jenny was caught saying harsh words about Brian because he had embarrassed her, but the gentle intervention of Mrs. Ellis opened up a new perspective—one that challenges Jenny to see beyond just the surface.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of frustration and negativity, particularly when dealing with others who seem to struggle in areas we may excel. Jenny’s experience, as she wrestles with her feelings towards her classmate Brian is a powerful reminder that every interaction—no matter how challenging—carries a lesson to be learned. This story not only sheds light on personal growth and empathy but also echoes our Christian call to seek wisdom through the imperfections of others, for we ourselves are also imperfect.
The story is a stark reminder for us not just to focus on the flaws of others, but to learn from them and to try and progress together in this world where we are all interconnected.
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” // James 1:19
As followers of Christ, we are called to look deeper than just the surface of our interactions with others. In every trying situation, we always have a choice – to try and positively influence others or to take the easy way and simply label them as “dumb”. What if all of these situations in our life was just opportunities for us as Christians to choose love & patience, to teach & to share, and to reflect the love that God shows us despite our imperfections.
