One Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words!
Colossians 3:8 - But now ye also put off all these;
anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of
your mouth. (KJV)
I was young and a nominal Christian when I first saw a
wonderful example of Christianity, in moving pictures and
living colour, regarding anger. I was visiting my future
mother-in-law, and she had spent many hours doing a snowy
white laundry, which was finally hung on the clothesline.
The line was strung over a vegetable garden of good black
soil; the vegetables had been removed and the soil prepared
for the winter months. The weight of the laundry proved too
heavy for the line, and down it went into the black soil. I
watched with horror as the fall gently drew the laundry
through the loose soil, which determinedly clung to every
article. I could feel my own anger rising within me. What
would happen next? Not a word was spoken. My dear future
mother-in-law gave what I was later to learn was her only
display of annoyance, a soft tuneless whistle. The laundry
was washed again, and the incident was not even mentioned. I
do not think for one moment that this Christian lady would
have considered this to be a great example of Christian
living. For me it was a whole new concept for living!
Some time later, I married the son of my Christian example,
and we moved to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, to live. While
attending an evangelical service, I heard the wonderful plan
of God's salvation, was converted, and literately "lost my
temper"! Shortly after my conversion, we decided to travel
to Toronto for a few days to visit my family. During one of
the many conversations with my mother, she said, "You appear
to be different." I told my mother of my Christian
conversion.
In our daily lives, may God help each of us to follow the
example set out by Jesus Christ. After all, that is one
picture that is worth a thousand words.
Prayer: Gracious heavenly Father, thank You for the people
You bring into our lives to show us the way to Christian
living. Thank You for Your great plan of salvation, which
enables us to find forgiveness for past sins and enables us
to live lives of value for the future. Help us to be
examples in our world. We pray in the name of Jesus, Your
Son. Amen.
Vena Poole
r-vpoole@csolve.net Innisfil, Ontario, Canada