"How do you advise me

to answer these people?"

And they said to him,

"If you will be good

          to the people

and please them

and speak good words to them,

they they will be

    your servants forever."

            2 Chronicles 10. 6-7

(Kindness and welfare

always change the environment,

the course of hearts,

and the outcome

--for generations to come.

Kindness and grace

are not always

our natural reaction,

but always serve a

deeper and lasting purpose.

How can I respond

          differently,

to bring Him glory in this?)

O LORD,

We pray that Your kindness

and steadfast love

would overtake us

and change the trajectory

of these difficult situations

and among rebellious people

     --of which we are also.

Soften our hearts

that we would cease

just thinking about ourselves.

Help us to see

this situation

not as impossible

         or as an irritation,

but an opportunity to

     practice grace in this.