A Tight Grip

Read: Ephesians 4:26-27, 31-32; James 1:19-20

“Mom!” Jessica cried. “Cassi hit me!”

“Because you pushed me!” cried her little sister.

Mom sighed. “Can’t we ever drive to school without you two fighting?”

Jessica felt her face flush with anger at her sister. She tried to ignore her by picking a book out of her bag to read, but before she even finished a sentence, she felt Cassi’s elbow in her side. She pushed back, and before long the girls were hitting each other again.

“Honestly, you two!” Mom brought the car to a stop in front of the school. “No more fighting!”

The girls got out of the car and headed their separate ways without saying goodbye to each other. Jessica held her lunch bag tightly in her hands as she walked to her first class, still fuming at her sister.

At lunchtime Jessica saw her sister sitting alone, looking troubled. “What’s wrong?” Jessica asked coolly as she came up to the table.

“I forgot my lunch,” Cassi said.

Jessica’s hands tightened around her lunch bag. “Too bad. Maybe if you spent less time fighting with me and more time getting ready for school, that wouldn’t have happened.”

Cassi looked down at the empty table sadly. Jessica turned to walk away, but Mrs. Gregory stood in her way. The teacher looked down at her and smiled.

“You’re holding on to your lunch bag very tightly,” she noted. “Are you afraid love and forgiveness might spill out?”

Jessica looked down at the bag in her hands, confused.

“Sometimes when we’re angry about something, we want to hold on to our anger like you’re holding on to that bag,” Mrs. Gregory said, pulling out chairs for herself and Jessica. “But the Bible tells us to let go of our anger and forgive others, just like Jesus has forgiven our sin and doesn’t hold it against us.” She smiled at Jessica. “Maybe it’s time to loosen your grip.”

Jessica looked over at her sister and then down at her lunch bag. She slowly opened her bag and took out part of her sandwich and a small bag of crackers. “Here,” she said, placing them in front of Cassi.

Cassi looked up and smiled. “Thanks, Jessica.”

Jessica smiled back. “You’re welcome.”

–Chandra Philip

How about you? Do you often find yourself fighting with your siblings or friends? Everyone gets angry sometimes, but the Bible warns against holding on to anger tightly and refusing to let go. Instead, remember the love and forgiveness Jesus shows you and trust Him to help you do the same for others. Then let go of your anger and act in love.

Today's Key Verse: Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger…Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Don’t hold on to anger