“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).

After breakfast and a few morning chores, Mom called Lucy and Linda, her six-year-old twins, into the kitchen to help bake cookies to take over to their next door neighbor named Jeanette. Most of the folks in the neighborhood called her “cranky old Jeanette.” Though it was not a pleasant name to be called, it really did describe her life. Jeanette harbored bitterness and anger for well over four decades. She could name every hurt and every offense that ever happened to her. As a result, toward the end of her life, she was a lonely, bitter, and angry old woman. When the cookies cooled, Mom and the girls walked next door to apologize for Lucy and Linda peeking through the fence and disturbing Jeanette the day before. Mom rang the doorbell, and Jeanette hollered through the screen, “Go away. I don’t want any!” A rather surprised Maggie Patterson said, “Excuse me, Jeanette. We are your neighbors, and we have come not only to apologize for peeking through your fence but to bring you some cookies.” There were a few moments of silence and once again Jeanette bellowed, “I told you to go away. I don’t need your friendship, and I don’t want your cookies. Leave me alone.” Lucy and Linda’s eyes were as big as saucers, and before Mom could stop her, Lucy said, “The neighbors are right. She is cranky old Jeanette. She sounds like a wicked witch.” Before Lucy could say another word, Mom covered her mouth and hustled both girls off Jeanette’s front porch. “Lucille Mariana Patterson, don’t you ever call anyone a witch again. Do you understand, young lady?” spoke mother sternly on the way back to their home. Jeanette sat alone that day with little Lucy’s words swirling around and around in her mind. Come back tomorrow for the rest of the story.

For today: Is there any bitterness that you need to let go and replace it with kindness?