"I am never going to school again!" Suzi announced as she came through the door. She flopped onto the couch and covered her face with a pillow. "And I'm never speaking to Christy again."
Mom came over and sat down. "That bad, huh? Never is a long time not to speak to your best friend."
"She's not my best friend anymore!" Suzi exclaimed as she adjusted her legs. "I'm never forgiving her."
Suddenly, her foot caught the edge of Grandma's antique end table and knocked it to the floor. With a loud crack, the table leg split in two.
Suzi jerked up and took the pillow off her face. Her jaw dropped. "I'm so sorry, Mom! It was an accident."
With a heavy sigh, Mom quietly knelt by the table to inspect the damage. "I don't think its fixable," she said slowly. "Time to throw it away."
Suzi gasped and jumped off the couch. "We've had that table forever! There must be a way to fix it."
Mom shook her head. "I'm not sure it would be worth the effort."
"You at least need to try!" Suzi protested. "You can't just throw something away that you love . . . " Suddenly, she noticed Mom was smiling.
"You're absolutely right, Suzi," said Mom. "We don't just throw away the things we love . . . or the people we love. Your friendship with Christy is much more valuable than this table and is also worth the effort to mend."
Suzi groaned and grabbed the pillow again. "But sometimes it's so hard to forgive!"
Mom took the pillow off Suzi's face. "We don't forgive because it's easy. We forgive because Jesus has forgiven us of so much."
Suzi frowned. "But Christy isn't even sorry!"
"God didn't send his Son to die for us because the world was already so sorry for its sins," Mom replied. "He certainly didn't do it because it was easy. He did it because He loves us and wanted a relationship with us."
Suzi sighed. "If God can sacrifice everything to have a relationship with me, then I guess I can try to forgive Christy . . . even when it's hard." She smiled at Mom. "Now, let's go fix your table." Bethany Den Boer
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever been in a fight with a friend? Perhaps someone said something mean or thoughtless to you. Or perhaps they wanted to play with someone else. Unkind words and actions are hurtful, and they can make us very angry, especially when they come from someone we love. But if you know Jesus, He has forgiven you for all your sins. Forgive others, even when it’s hard.
TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Colossians 3:13 (KJV)
Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. (CSB)