Not long ago, Sandy Hayes told me “I like you Randy.” Then after a little pause, she said “but only in small doses!”

I bet many of you just can’t imagine why she would say such a thing yet it’s true isn’t it that sometimes we just don’t get along. It’s not because of differences in doctrine, or even outright sin, but sometimes our personalities rub against each other. It reminded me of a story from when I was living in Colorado.

We had just hired a new preacher, and he was coming to live at our house for a few weeks while he looked for a house to buy in the area. We had never met their 5 children; only the preacher and his wife had come for the interviews. So it was with much delight we opened the door the day they were to arrive to find a pretty, raven-haired 12 year old girl telling us she was the oldest daughter. We invited her in and before we could say another word she said “I’m supposed to tell you that Hannah bites.”

We didn’t get a chance to ask her about that when the next oldest child, a son, came through the door and told us “Oh, just so you know, Hannah bites.” Then came another daughter (“Be careful, Hannah bites!”) and yet another son (“Watch out! Hannah bites!”). Finally, in came this darling, blonde-haired big eyed sweet looking little girl, so shy and very pretty, about 5 years old. My dad kneels down to her eye level and says “You must be Hannah.” To which she replies in the softest, saddest voice “Uh huh. I bite.”

Now, it turns out that as we got to know Hannah we discovered she was a clever little gal who knew lots of bible passages (all the kids did, but let’s focus on fang-face for now) She was amazing in the classes, so I was told, and always ready with the answer. I know from playing with her she was good at board games and card games, and was a fun kid to have around. (By the way, as far as I know, she never bit anyone. Better than what can be said about me, eh Robert?)

It’s sad that on occasion we see some trait we dislike about someone and from then on we treat them, well, less than family. Often enough I hear “bite”ing words from a brother or sister, why they don’t like this or that about Brother So and So. Sometimes it’s enough to make them not want to be friendly to anyone, to sort of withdraw themselves from all of us. I mean, they continue to come to services to worship God but they stay cool and distant from the membership.

If you weren’t family to me I wouldn’t care, but you are. Hannah’s family loved her very much, and showed it. They just kept away from those teeth. Can’t we do the same? Truly love each other and demonstrate it without holding back? None of us are perfect, Hannah’s siblings all had annoying traits of their own, most much worse than Hannah’s. I would be overjoyed if the ONLY thing you could ever hold against me is “Randy bites!”

Randy