OLD GERTRUDE AND YOUNGEST SON

Eldest Daughter fussed — she wanted me to post the story that had been requested concerning Youngest Son and Old Gertrude.  This is a very old story — I think Youngest Son was about 15.

OLD GERTRUDE AND YOUNGEST SON

Now, it is no secret that Old Gertrude is not particularly attractive. She is old and stoop-shouldered, has a prominent nose, wears coke bottle glasses, has hair that is just a mess to do anything with, and has these teeth that somewhat defy description. They are protruding. And brown. And sorta’ falling out, like. They are the things you notice first about her. (If you don’t notice her breath). The fame of her looks is such that there was a time when CMW was trying to convince her youngest sister of something and Youngest Sister protested vehemently, “If that’s true, then Gertrude is beautiful!!!”

But anyone who really knows Old Gertrude knows that she thinks quite the opposite. She enjoys her looks. She’s young. Her teeth are white. Her hair is perfect. Don’t say nothin’ about her glasses. Sometimes when CMW comes in to give her a shower, she is standing in front of the mirror, stark naked, admiring the scenery, and murmuring appreciation to herself.

All of this has not been lost on adolescent Youngest Son, Lemuel. It has been a source of amusement, yes, but there has also been an element of concern over the integrity of the situation. If it isn’t true, why does she persist in believing it? CMW hasn’t really been aware of just how much this situation has been being mulled over in the young man’s mind until last week. After all, Old Gertrude has been a part of the family since Youngest Son was five weeks old, and she has always believed in her great beauty. It just isn’t a new or seldom mentioned issue. But this week, Youngest Son came up with something that set CMW back on her heels and caused her mother’s heart to do much pondering.

In the middle of a perfectly ordinary day, he said, “Mom, I’ve been thinking about Gertrude and you know how she thinks she so beautiful? Well, I’ve been thinking. Maybe she sees herself the way God sees her.”

CMW’s puzzlement must have shown on her face, because he continued. “You know, her mind is like a child, and wouldn’t it be neat if her faith was just childlike enough that when she looks at herself, she actually sees what God sees. There really is no one who has a sweeter spirit, and who has a more childlike faith than she does, and I was just thinkin’ that it would be neat if she had a faith that caused her to actually see herself like God does and that would be beautiful.”

CMW looked at this tall man-child that she loves so fiercely and who sometimes causes her great consternation. She said, “That’s a beautiful thought, Lemuel. It just might be so…” and she tucked it away in her heart to bring out when the rappin’ and the jammin’ and the tappin’ threaten to drive her to distraction.

But she has continued to think about his words this whole week. What would happen if we had enough faith the see other people the way God does? What would happen to our hearts, our relationships, our homes, our neighborhoods, our churches? And how do we develop that mindset?

One of the ways we work on it is to be reminded that things aren’t always the way they seem, and if we can take the reminders on ordinary days from unexpected sources and ask God to birth an awareness in our hearts, it can begin to happen.