I Peter 3:10-11
“He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it.”
A number of years ago I was shopping in a discount grocery store. Yep! That’s me — “Look-for-a-bargain Cecil.” As I progressed from aisle to aisle to aisle, I kept passing a mother with three children. The youngest was a girl of about eight years of age.
The mother must have been having a terrible day and appeared to be taking it out on this little girl. She snarled and barked in response to everything the girl did. Her older brothers seemed to shy away from their mother’s tongue.
As I prayed about how to respond, I felt the Spirit’s urge to simply give this little girl the gift of a smile. We were shopping in different directions and therefore we met on each aisle. Each time I would give her a smile. Her little face radiated.
You had to bag your own groceries and it just so happened that this family was next to me. I noticed it was the little girl who did the bagging while her brothers stood aside and did nothing. On a whim, I asked the girl, “Do you work here at the store?” She was surprised and responded with a grin, “No, I am just helping my mom.” I told her how proud her mother must be to have such a good helper.
When the girl finished bagging her family’s groceries, she darted over and began to help bag mine with a huge smile on her face. The mother growled at her that it was time to go and they headed for the door. The last thing I saw was a little eight-year-old girl waving goodbye to me with a huge smile. Without words we can touch those around us and make the way a little easier. Have you given a gift today? Try a smile!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
360-570-0074
PastorCecil@Daily-E-Votional.com