Jerry and Frank

I had a dream tonight; very vivid, very detailed, and very unusual. I have no idea where this dream came from in the corridors of my subconscious or it’s purpose.

In my dream was an ordinary guy named Jerry who taught 4th grade. Jerry had a student in his class named Perry. It was obvious Perry had a breathing problem. He would gasp for air on occasion. Perry was always sad and depressed.

One day at the hardware store Jerry ran into Frank. Jerry and Frank had been close friends in High School. As they caught up on each others lives, Jerry was amazed to learn Frank was a medical doctor. Jerry began to tell Frank about Perry and to speculate what may be causing Perry’s breathing problem. Frank agreed one day to stop by and visit Jerry’s class to just hear and see Perry. The first time Perry gasped for air, Frank knew Perry probably was asthmatic.

Jerry arranged for Perry’s Mom to come to school to meet Frank and inform her of Perry’s breathing troubles. At the meeting, Perry’s Mom was told Perry needed an exam and, most likely, Perry’s breathing problems could be held in check with a simple inhaler.

Instead of being grateful that there may be a simple treatment to that would help Perry breath. Perry’s mom was horrified, because she was worried what other people would think of her and Perry. Would they think Perry was a drug-head since he would be routinely using the inhaler. Would they think Perry was weak because he needed an inhaler to breathe. Would the members of their church think Perry should rely on God, rather than drugs to help him breathe? How would they judge her and Perry?

Then one day, as Perry’s mom listened to Perry gasp for air, she remembered it is stated in the bible that we should not compare ourselves to one another and that we should not judge others (James 4:11). Then Perry’s mom remembered all the things the bible warns about gossip. Finally, would God approve? Then she remembered it is stated that GOD helps those that help themselves. Suddenly, it did not matter what other people thought and Perry was able to get the medicine he needed to breathe.

Once Perry could breathe normally, his life began to change dramatically. His days were filled with joy instead of despair and depression. He began to live life instead of dread life. Perry’s mom reasoned all of Perry’s good fortune may have been denied to him because of what a few people may have thought. How silly we humans can be.