Teens

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Allison
© 2007

by

Stephen A. Peterson


There was no getting around the fact that 17 year old Allison Mitchell had a cleft palate—a birth defect. When she was a very young girl, she received an operation to correct her disability. However, there remained remnants of the operation on her upper lip in the form of a scar. To a few who saw but did not know Allison, she appeared scary, even a bit of a monster. But Allison was really a great person with a saintly glow about her that one soon saw when a person came to know her.

The first time five year old Bruce met Allison, he stared at her upper lip and exclaimed, “I hope you won’t eat me up! Are you a monster?”

Bruce’s mother was horrified and embarrassed by her son’s questions. But not Allison. “Don’t worry, little boy. You’re awful cute. You look too good enough to eat and you have a really, really cute mommy who loves you, I bet! So I’m not going to even consider eating you!”

Everyone, including Bruce, broke out laughing or held their hands across their mouth to prevent showing their smiles. Allison’s sense of humor, her understanding of little childrens' fears, and her wonderful ability for not being hurt by a child’s statement was refreshing. She never permitted a personal, physical flaw get the better of her or caused her stress. No wonder Allison is loved by many in spite of her disability.

Christians, when they are called monsters or any other derogatory name, might consider Allison’s approach to the world’s misunderstandings, fears and outright hatred—with gentleness and unconditional love of those who trespass against us.

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