Dad, what does a peaceable person look like?
Why do you ask, son?
I was talking to Mr Allen the other day and he was remarking on how impressed he was by how Miss Bridges conducted herself in the meeting last week. He said she behaved in a very peaceable manner.
Oh? That’s what he said? Well do you know how Miss Bridges behaved?
Yes, Dad.
Well don’t leave me in the dark. Tell me what happened.
Well they were talking about what they would do about the Strangers Fund, you know, what they set up to support new people who come the neighbourhood.
Yes, I’m familiar with the fund.
I wasn’t paying attention much until it sounded like there was a heated argument going on. Mrs Franks was complaining that too much money was being put in the fund which meant there was less to give to other things. She was very passionate about the issue. That seemed to irk Mr Brandt. He interrupted her to say that the fund had actually been neglected over the last few years and if anything needed more support it was that. As you can imagine, Mrs Franks wasn’t too pleased to be interrupted.
Oh, I can certainly imagine Mrs Franks was not best pleased.
Yeah, you know how she can go red in the face when things like that happens. We thought she was going to erupt. You could just tell she was waiting to give Mr Brandt a piece of her mind and some.
And some indeed.
It was at that point that Miss Allen made her intervention. She wasn’t even chairing the meeting either. She just made herself noticed politely and then spoke about Miss Franks’ view as if it were her own to see if she understood it correctly. Then she did the same about what Mr Brandt was saying. We all agreed that how Miss Allen was reflecting the perpectives appeared reasonable. She then engaged with the chair to remind us all of what the aims and values of the group were, who we served and how we served them. She even threw in a few jokes, Dad, she was really funny at times. Anyway when she said all this, she then asked Mrs Franks if she thought her idea was in line with the aims and values of the group. Even Mrs Franks conceded that it might have strayed from it slightly, but she maintained it was done with good motives. Miss Allen then asked Mr Brandt if he felt his conduct was also in line with our values. She didn’t tell him off, she just asked him a question on it through a story. Even Mr Brandt had to admit that he may have gone over board and there and then he offered an apology to Mrs Franks!
He did what?
Yes, Dad. Old Mr Brandt apologised. Mrs Franks was so surprised she didn’t have any anger left in her to do anything but accept the apology. The chair continued the meeting and afterwards I even saw Mr Brandt and Mrs Franks talking animatedly about something, I thought they were arguing again until I saw them both laughing as though they had heard the funniest joke of all time. They were really getting on well with each other.
What’s that? Are you kidding me? I can’t remember the last time I saw Mrs Franks laugh!
I know, right, Dad.
Hold on a minute, son. You say all that and you don’t know how Miss Allen was peaceable?
It’s not that obvious to me, Dad.
Well, son, what Miss Allen did was not just defuse what we both know would be a volatile situation. She facilitated the process that brought two previously opposing camps to at least have a shared understanding of something. You know it was peaceable because rather than another blazing row, her efforts got two people to laugh together.
Ohhhhhhhhh that’s what it means.
Yes, son. That is what it means – although it’s not essential that the opposing sides laugh together.
OK, Dad, I get it.
Good, son. And if you come across people who behave like Miss Allen, those people are worth following.
(Photo by Ben White on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 