AUGUST 2

2 Timothy 2:24

ARE YOU GENTLE?

“What is wrong with this thing!” Diana cried out. She burst into tears. “ These numbers won’t balance.Tomorrow when I turn in the treasurer’s report for our club, everyone will think I’m dumb, and Natalie will be so happy!”

Dad looked up from his paper. “Speaking of Natalie, I haven’t seen her lately,” said Dad. “Why would a mistake in your report make her happy? I thought she was your best friend.”

Diana hesitated. “Well, we... we sort of had a disagreement,” she said. “We both wanted to be the club treasurer. I got elected, but she still tried to tell me how to do the job. I finally informed her I’d do things my own way. She said that would be a big mistake. We haven’t spoken to each other since.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,”said Dad as his eyes scanned over Diana’s report. He pointed to some of the numbers at the top of the column. “I think you need to start right back at the beginning and carefully add these again.”

“Okay,” agreed Diana with a sigh, “but I don’t see how that will help. I used my calculator, and it can’t be wrong, can it?” But she got busy and began adding again. “I found my mistake, Dad!” she exclaimed after only a few minutes. “It’s way at the beginning of the column. I subtracted one of these numbers instead of adding it.”

Dad nodded. “You know, Diana,” he said, “I think it would also be a good idea to go back to the beginning of your problem with Natalie, too.” “What do you mean?” asked Diana.

“ Think about when this all began,” said Dad. “Should you have done something differently? It sounds like perhaps you selfishly wanted your own way. Then you hurt each other by using cutting words, right? That kind of behavior doesn’t please God, and it usually doesn’t make us feel very good, either.” Dad put an arm around Diana. “Why don’t you go to Natalie and apologize for the way you acted? Listen to what she has to say. I’m sure she has some good ideas. How about it?” Slowly, Diana smiled, then nodded.

Thought: Is there someone you’ve had a disagreement with? Are you sure it was all that person’s fault? Ask God to show you what you might have done wrong, then go to the other person and talk it over. Apologize if needed. Don’t carry old grudges into this new month. A restored friendship will make both of you happy. Best of all, it will please God.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for today’s lesson that I must be gentle to all. I pray I’d have the courage to do what is needed, and apologize to anyone whom I may have hurt. This is my prayer in Jesus’ name – amen.