Balloons
In order to Illustrate the importance of putting other people first the following two experiments were conducted:-
In a room full of children and loose balloons floating around with a child’s name written on them, the task given was simply to find the balloon with your own name on it and then sit down.
The children ran around rejecting balloons with other’s names and looking for their own. Eventually the children found their named balloon. This was timed and recorded. The test was then modified slightly and the task repeated. The new task was to find and match the named balloons for the other children in the room while also looking for their own. As these children knew each others’ names, it became clear that the matching of named balloons to children was completed in a considerably shorter time.
I suppose there are at least two lessons we could learn from this exercise: One is that when we look out for others and their needs, our own tasks may, as a direct result, become easier.
Secondly, if we all combined our efforts and looked out for others, all of our needs would be met more quickly and with considerably less hassle.
The Bible teaches us to “Bear one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6 v 3.
When tackled on the most important commandments by the skeptics, Jesus said “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and with all your strength’.
The second is this; “You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12 v 30.
There is nothing new under the Sun – another Bible quote! Maybe we should start listening?
