Pardon My Elephant!
I would like to share a little story which teaches a very important lesson. That lesson is the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I entitle the story, "Pardon My Elephant."
Bill met George at an animal lovers' meeting. He thought George was a bit strange and "pushy." But after all, he thought, anyone who loves animals can't be all bad. When George kept insisting they must "get together sometime," Bill finally agreed.
"Sometime" came much too soon. To Bill's dismay, George appeared on his doorstep a few days later, unannounced.
Now Bill didn't really mind unexpected guests. His pastor, for instance, had always dropped by without notice. But to Bill's surprise, George had brought along his favorite pet -- his baby elephant!
Without bothering to ask permission, George barged right into Bill's front door, followed closely by his king-sized pet.
George and friend soon made themselves as home. The elephant broke a window, two lamps, and the coffee table, and before he was finished, he had ruined Bill's carpet. Worse still, he ate Bill's imported rattan furniture.
George, however, took little notice of his pet's behavior. He offered no reparations and only token apologies. After each new transgression, George nonchalantly smiled and said, "Pardon my elephant."
Through all of this, Bill made a valiant show of patience. But Bill finally had had enough. "Out!" Bill cried. "Get out of my house, both you and your pesky pachyderm!" Bill practically threw George out the front door, and drove his pet out behind him.
"Well!" George puffed, straightening his collar and acting offended. "And I thought you were an animal lover! Now I see you were never our type of person at all!" So George and his elephant left in a huff.
We, as Christians, sometimes act an awful lot like George. We impose upon fellow believers, without concern for their rights, wishes, or welfare. We might misuse, abuse, even cheat other Christians. We might snub, exclude, or spread vicious gossip about them, then expect them to take no offense. In short, we expect them to pardon our elephants!
"They claim to be Christians," we say to ourselves, "so they have to forgive us." We have no regard for the rights or feelings of our brothers and sisters, so we selfishly go right on doing what we want.
Then, if they complain or stand up for their rights, it is we who act offended. "Well!" we exclaim. "And they call themselves Christians!"
True, Bill might have shown more patience and less regard for material things. Christians are exhorted to love one another, to serve one another, and to regard others as greater than themselves. But obviously George is the greater offender. He is guilty of gross disregard for the wishes and welfare of others. To George and others like him, God will accord the greater judgment.
The Bible instructs us to forbear and forgive the offenses of others, as Christ forgave us (Matthew 6:14-15, Colossians 3:13). We are also admonished to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Matthew 7:12). That includes asking permission before imposing on others, and respecting their "No."
Paul the Apostle exhorts us to offend no one, since disregard for others discredits our Christian witness (2 Corinthians 6:3). Further, we are to "mark them who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them" (Romans 16:17). So Christians are not expected to indulge the Georges of this world forever. Sometimes they go too far. In extreme cases, Paul ordered offenders excluded from the church (see 1 Corinthians 5).
So next time someone takes exception to the way you have treated them, don't say, "Pardon my elephant." And don't get in a huff and exclaim, "And you call yourself a Christian!" Instead, examine your own actions in the sight of God, and ask yourself, "Am I making a George of myself?"
Copyright 1996 Paul A. Hughes
Last updated November 1996. For more information, comments, or suggestions, write RevHughes@aol.com.