What People Will Always Remember

 

And they said to him,

"If you will be good to this people

       and please them,

and speak good words to them,

then they will be

     your servants forever."

              2 Chronicles 10. 7

Speaking good words

   is not a form of manipulation,

but setting the stage

      for what is to come

and turning a volatile situation

           on its head.

People may not remember

   the exact plight,

   nor our precise words,

but people will always remember

    how we treat them. 

Grace generates relationships.

Goodness is rarely expected

      in extenuating circumstances,

    but has no expiration date.

It is not a matter of winning 

or losing a battle of wills,

     nor people forced to bow down to us,

but goodness and grace display 

        a different path through

  as they witness our servant hearts

                towards them.

We may even end up becoming friends

                or allies.

Surprise others

     right into God's Kingdom.

Spread out the grace.

O LORD,

Please help us to hear Your voice

     amidst the chaos.

Pour Your wisdom and grace

         all over this mess.

And then grant us the courage

    to follow You into it.

Turn our difficult situations

       into opportunities

              for Your glory.

Help us to know

   that a gracious response

is the strongest choice yet.

May we look towards You

  and see it differently.