Balloon

This past Sunday during the sermon I heard a quote that has been haunting me like a pea under a princess' bed.  The pastor said "You can learn a lot if you pay attention to what makes you frustrated or angry."

The truth is, well, a lot makes me frustrated and angry right now.  Killing innocent people makes me frustrated and angry right now.  People suffering from natural disasters makes me frustrated and angry right now.  Saying God doesn't love people of all walks of life makes me frustrated right now.  However, the most interesting thing that makes me angry at the moment is...a balloon.

There is a story of this little girl who lost her grandfather. On a journey to visit her relatives, this little girl's parents bought her a balloon to keep her company.  Upon their family's arrival, they were greeted by an aunt who was still very upset over  her father's death.  All of a sudden, this little girl let go of her balloon, and it floated into the sky.  The aunt asked the girl why she did this, and the girl said something that began to heal her aunt's heart: "I'm sending it to grandpa!"

Now, it's a touching story.  It's a story of deep trust and simple faith.  It's a beautifully kind gesture.  And it makes me angry.  Why?  Because I know of people who would shoo the story away.  Who would say: "The balloon will pop somewhere in the atmosphere and never make it to grandpa, wherever he is"  or "Well, that was a waste of money" or "That girl is so limited in her understanding."

But it mostly makes me angry because I too can be so dismissive of things that don't make a whole lot of logical sense, but they are beautiful demonstrations of God's extravagant love.

What does this story make you feel?