“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4, NIV
Gillian was standing in line at the grocery store, trying to pay for a transaction. Her kids were in the shopping cart, and her youngest was fussing. She tried to rock the cart to comfort him while she juggled paying with her debit card.
She’d almost finished the transaction when the computer system went down and had to be restarted. Now, she was stuck waiting in line for another ten minutes while her four-year-old complained loudly that he was ready for lunch.
When the system came back on, she went to pay. She felt a presence in her personal space and turned to see the woman behind her was crowding into her space. The woman had also taken the liberty of moving Gillian’s groceries, too.
After the long day she’d had, Gillian just wanted to shout at the woman. She was seconds away from making a nasty remark when she remembered, “Love is kind.” It had been her memory verse for the past week.
One of the hardest moments to extend grace is when you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed. But remember that the other person is God’s special creation and that she (or he) is deeply loved by your Heavenly Father.
Prayer:
Lord, when I get angry and stressed, let me remember that love is kind. I want to shine Your love everywhere I go, even in the hard moments. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
