Have you ever heard of the Popcorn Theory? I hadn’t either
until I read a book written by real life Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, who you’ve
probably heard of from the Blind
Side.
“The Popcorn Theory goes something like this: You can’t help
everyone, but you can help those, or at least try to help those, who pop up
right in front of your face…The popcorn theory is about noticing others. Its
about acknowledging a person’s potential and value. It’s about seeing him,
instead of looking past him.”
The Tuohy family used the popcorn theory when helping
Michael out. He literally popped up right in front of their face on the side of
the road one night. They took him in, loved him, nurtured him, cared for him,
and helped him grow into the amazing man he turned out to be. Not for any
specific reason, other than they knew they could help this kid who had “popped”
right out in front of them. They didn’t
help him because they thought he would make a great athlete, or because
they thought he would make them famous, they helped him because they were kind,
and took the time to notice a need and fill it.
When Michael was selecting a school to go to, of course the
Touhy family encouraged him to go to Ole Miss, where they all had gone. But
when Michael did choose Ole Miss, he faced a whole new set of questions.
People began asking why the Touhy family would take in a 300
something pound black kid and take the time to invest in him. They began
suggesting that the Touhy family took in Michael just to send him to Ole Miss
to make the football team great. An idea that had never once popped into
Michael’s head, or the Touhy’s head for that matter.
Sometimes when you are kind, people will think you have
ulterior motives when that is just not the case. Like with the Touhy
family. Sometimes when you are kind people will think you are trying to
manipulate them.
The Touhy family was shocked at those accusations, and said
they would have done it over again if Michael hadn’t known how to play
football. They had grown to love
Michael, and they would have done anything for him. The people still accused,
but they let the accusations slide right off and continued to be kind to not
only Michael, but hundreds of other kids.
Leigh Anne started charities.
Collins taught cheerleading at an all black high school.
Sean put more kids on lunch programs then he could count.
They didn’t do any of this because they were trying to get
attention, but because they believed in giving back, and firmly lived by the
verse that says “To whom much is given much is required.”
Our world could use more families like the Touhy’s.
Lesson from all this? Be kind to people, even though they
may take your kindness and turn it into something it was never meant to be.
Don’t get discouraged when people accuse you of have ulterior motives, even
when that’s just not the case. Be like the Touhy family.
And if you want a really goooood book to read, read this:
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