A picture was posted on face book recently that really made me smile. It was a picture of Winnie the Pooh and Piglet walking hand in hand through the Hundred Acre Wood. The quote with the picture is by Pooh himself and says, "If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever." What a wonderful thought! Certainly if you know anything about these characters, you can understand the deep and abiding friendship that exists between them.
I just love Winnie the Pooh and all his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. We can draw so many lessons from the group dynamics of those characters. The personality of each one is distinctly different from any of the others in the group. And as I watch those early Disney cartoons and movies, I can relate some of their personality traits to people I really know. Each character brings something to the group and it seems that if any one were missing then the group would not be complete. None of these friends are perfect. They all have their little quirks. But whenever one of them faces a problem, they do their best to conquer their weaknesses, overcome their fears and pitch in to help the one who is in trouble. It is their love for one another that drives them to do this, especially Pooh himself.
When I think about Pooh, I think about the fact that he always eventually Puts Others Over Himself. He may be distracted by his tummy for a short while and he may consider himself "a bear of very little brain," but he has this huge love in his heart for his neighbors in the Hundred Acre Wood. He works hard to help them solve their problems, whatever those may be and if he needs help from others, then he rallies everyone around.
As I said earlier, SO many lessons can be drawn from all this. Lessons about friendship and love and well -- putting others first. Christ wants us to put others first. We are supposed "bear one another's burdens" and to help those who are weak. Jesus tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves. It is the second greatest commandment. Pooh definitely loves himself. He loves that honey and makes sure that he keeps himself fed; BUT if Piglet or Eeyore need a helping hand, then Pooh puts his desires to the side for the time being and helps take care of his friends.
Do we put others over ourselves? Do we love and take care of our friends and neighbors as Christ would have us do? Do we allow our love for Christ to overcome the weaknesses that might stand in our way of being a good neighbor? Do we put our own desires aside to take care of someone else? There are so many ways we can do this; letting someone go ahead of us in line at the grocery store, offering to sit beside and help a young mother who might be church without her husband- but with two or three children in tow -- calling to check on someone who is lonely and could use cheering up --giving a hug to that widow or widower who continues to be so faithful to the Lord and letting him or her know how much their faithfulness is appreciated. Being Christ like isn't that hard to do when you, (as Pooh says) "have Him (Him, being Christ) in your heart and He stays there forever."
Christ above all things,
Robin
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