The sun beat down on the worn trail and glinted off rocks that contained specks of fake gold. Birds chirped. A bee buzzed in the distance. Leaves ruffled in a slight breeze with a hint of pine in the air. God's beauty surrounded me, and I hiked with joy in my heart and step.

With a vertical drop to my left, I climbed the narrow trail. Up ahead, a couple carefully walked down steep, makeshift rock steps. I stopped and shifted right to allow room for the couple to pass. Two teenaged girls approached from behind, didn't stop, and skirted in front of me. I stared at the girls. The couple gasped, as they had nowhere to go but down. Were the teens so impatient as to put others in danger? An angry retort flashed across my mind, but God held my tongue. The girls halted, and their expressions revealed that they realized that the couple needed room to descend before anyone could go up. The couple came on down and thanked me for letting them pass.

One teen whipped her head in my direction. "I didn't know. Sorry."

I wanted to give both of them a piece of my mind on trail etiquette. However, in that moment, God allowed the word "No" into my thoughts. The Holy Spirit convicted me that I should turn angry words into kind words. My anger dissolved, and I urged the girls to go on ahead of me. I was older and they'd probably hike faster than me, anyway. They thanked me, and I thanked God for holding back my mean-spirited comments.

Proverbs 18:21 – Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (NASB)

How many times have we hurt others with our responses? Do our words turn others away from Jesus? I know that I'm guilty of both, and I thank God that He forgives me of those sins. In my Christian walk, I've learned to start each day with Bible reading and prayer so that my mind is filled with Him. At times, quick, sinful words enter my mind, but I know that I have a God Who will help me to overcome.

We all need to work on our responses to others' actions. Let's fill our minds and hearts with God's Word, and commit our day to Him each morning.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, forgive us for the times when we've used words to hurt others. Thank You for the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Guide us to pause and think before we speak so that You are glorified in all that we say and do. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author:

Cindy Carraway Williams <ecucindy@ec.rr.com>
Emerald Isle, North Carolina, USA
Send your feedback to the author