Several years ago, I tasted my first French wine. What took me so long? I have no idea. Ignorance, I guess. I had always heard French people are known for being snooty and stuck up, I guess this is why I avoided their wines for so long. But I bought a bottle for around $14 (it was advertised in the store’s “Under $15 greats” so I thought, “Sure! Why not?” I sampled a taste of it during the store’s tasting, and found it to be quite delicious. I could not wait to open the bottle and truly savor it.
So one evening, I decided to make a little snack plate with cheese, grapes, berries and crackers and try my new French wine. I was blown away. I love a full-bodied, bold red, and this bottle did not disappoint. Shortly after I bought my second bottle of this same wine, the Paris terrorist attacks unfolded, and my heart broke even more. I did a quick search online for the wine’s website, and reached out to them. I certainly did not expect a reply; I just wanted them to know I tried their wine and loved it, but now I felt an even closer connection to them, and was praying for them.
Not only did I hear back from them as a company; their third generation winemaker’s wife, Eve Guigal, wrote to me to thank me for my “kind words, support and sympathy.” It took such a small amount of time, yet made me a fan of their brand, for life. How incredibly wrong I was to make an assumption of people I don't even know.
If I ever travel to France, my greatest desire would not be to see the Eiffel Tower, but rather to meet these people and tour their vineyard.
One afternoon when I was in one of my favorite wine shops, an older gentleman saw me browsing the French wines and asked me which was my favorite? Wanting to sound cool, I said, “Well, I don’t speak French, so I’m sure I will butcher the pronunciation, but it’s the E. Guigal, Côtes du Rhône.”
Y’all. I was so proud of myself for being able to remember the name of the label I was looking for right then, only to be met with this man’s smug response, “Young lady, “Côtes du Rhône is a vineyard region. You might as well say you like California white wine.” I was absolutely mortified, yet goofy enough to laugh with him as he laughed at me. I said, “Well, all I know is the one I told you I had tasted scrumptious, and I’m looking to buy another bottle of it!”
Imagine that. One of the owners/representatives and winemakers, herself, emailed me from this wine label, in true kindness. One of the shoppers in the little wine store, “schooled me” on my ignorance, and rather than using the moment to be kind and teach something to me, he decided to make fun of me.
It didn’t hurt my feelings; I know I am plenty ignorant and have tons to learn in every aspect of life. It just struck me as ironic how humble and kind one of the names behind the actual wine was; and how arrogant and smug, someone from my hometown was.
Humility. It is one of my most favorite qualities in people who have it. Humble people make the best spouses, friends, leaders, teachers … humility is just magnetic. I am drawn to humble people.
“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” - 1 Peter 5:6 (NLT)
May we all be more humble people so that we can be more humble leaders, leading people to Jesus.