The French prince underestimated King Henrywhen he sent him a chest of tennis balls!
My friend and I went to see HENRY V last night at a local community college. The Acting Company/Guthrie Theater had just arrived from St. Louis, and we were privileged to attend an extremely informative and well-attended “chat” session by one of the staff directors an hour beforehand.
One neat thing about Prince Hal is how he arrived at his kingship as such an unlikely prospect. As he walked into his responsibilities as King Henry, he walked away from the rowdy and irresponsible choices of his youth. He became thoughtful and wise in matters of state, slow to anger, quick to forgive, fair in administering justice.
The Dauphin of France, one of Henry’s companions in former times, refused to take Henry as a serious foe. (Bad mistake.) He underscored his contempt by sending Henry a chest of tennis balls. (Yes, it’s true! They had tennis balls even in those days.)
But Henry’s character had changed 180 degrees. He and his troops defeated the superior French army, and Henry married the French princess.
An earlier example of a 180 degree change is St. Paul who, as Saul the Pharisee, persecuted Jesus’ followers even to death.
While Henry needed a complete makeover, it’s been pointed out that God didn’t change a thing about Paul’s character. He didn’t’ change his zeal to do good, his perseverance, or his commitment to a cause. What God changed was his direction – from destroyer of the practice of Christianity to the builder up of that idea.
These examples give hope to my prayers for everyone who has a deep down yearning to make a difference for good – that they will find the answer to that longing; will find the courage to set out on a fresh and perhaps unfamiliar path; that they be willing to lean on a wisdom and intelligence outside themselves as they chart a new course.
One neat thing about Prince Hal is how he arrived at his kingship as such an unlikely prospect. As he walked into his responsibilities as King Henry, he walked away from the rowdy and irresponsible choices of his youth. He became thoughtful and wise in matters of state, slow to anger, quick to forgive, fair in administering justice.
The Dauphin of France, one of Henry’s companions in former times, refused to take Henry as a serious foe. (Bad mistake.) He underscored his contempt by sending Henry a chest of tennis balls. (Yes, it’s true! They had tennis balls even in those days.)
But Henry’s character had changed 180 degrees. He and his troops defeated the superior French army, and Henry married the French princess.
An earlier example of a 180 degree change is St. Paul who, as Saul the Pharisee, persecuted Jesus’ followers even to death.
While Henry needed a complete makeover, it’s been pointed out that God didn’t change a thing about Paul’s character. He didn’t’ change his zeal to do good, his perseverance, or his commitment to a cause. What God changed was his direction – from destroyer of the practice of Christianity to the builder up of that idea.
These examples give hope to my prayers for everyone who has a deep down yearning to make a difference for good – that they will find the answer to that longing; will find the courage to set out on a fresh and perhaps unfamiliar path; that they be willing to lean on a wisdom and intelligence outside themselves as they chart a new course.
2 comments:
Thanks Sandi. What an inspiring story. There is always hope
Good reminder...that those who would hurt us can have a change of direction. We don't have to hurt them.
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