BE KIND

"Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."  Ephesians 4:32

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."  Proverbs 15:1

I have to chuckle when I realize once again that God has allowed me to go through a not so pleasant experience to teach me an important lesson.  Back in February a Pastor's wife gave us all a challenge, and she used Ephesians 4:32.  She said this one verse covers everything. What she said has stayed in the back of my mind since then, and each time I read that verse, I remember what she said.

This past month I was moved to a new room that already had two women in it.  One of the women decided that she did not want me as her roommate, and she began bullying me verbally. She told me that when she doesn't like a roommate, she makes them so miserable that they ask for protective custody and get removed from her room.  As the days passed I would dwell on the above verses and ask the Lord to help me be a good testimony in the way I responded to my roommate.

After about a month, the bullying got so bad I was being threatened and I had to request protective custody.  As I look back over the past month, I can truly say I responded correctly.  I have nothing to be ashamed of.

We never know what someone is going through, and a simple smile and a word of kindness can mean so much.  During this past month, a woman approached me and said, "Joy, I know what she is saying about you isn't true.  Keep your chin up!"  I was in tears as she spoke to me.  Her kindness meant so much to me after hearing constant criticism from my roommate. 

This miserable experience reinforced God's truth of Ephesians 4:32. "Be ye kind one to another. . . ."

                                                         Joy