Sitting Next to Allie

Bible Reading: Colossians 3:12-13

Snip, snip, snip! Natalie scowled as her scissors jabbed the paper.

“What’re you making?” Allie asked.

“Isn’t it obvious? Hearts.” Snip!

“Oh, now I see! You always have such good ideas, Natalie.”

Natalie huffed. Allie’s so weird, she thought. Like her ugly plaid dress. No way would Natalie be caught dead in that dress!

“Natalie?” It was Allie. Again. “Can you show me how to—”

“Stop copying me. Just because Mrs. Garcia put our desks together doesn’t mean we’re friends.” To punctuate her point, Natalie took her scissors and—snip!

Allie flinched. Natalie’s jaw dropped. They stared at the cut in the sleeve of Allie’s dress. Natalie stuffed the scissors into her desk. She hadn’t meant to do that—really! She bit her lip. “Did you—did you get hurt?” she whispered.

Allie shook her head and went back to coloring.

Natalie swallowed the lump in her throat. Isn’t Allie going to say something to Mrs. Garcia? she wondered. She picked up her red pencil and started to outline a new heart. As she pressed down, the tip broke. Tears welled up in Natalie’s eyes. Even if Allie didn’t tell the teacher, Jesus knew what happened. He knew Natalie had been unkind to Allie instead of loving her the way He did. But what could Natalie do about it now?

Something rolled over to Natalie’s desk…a red pencil with a sharp tip.

Natalie peeked over at Allie. Did she do it on purpose?

Suddenly, Natalie knew what she needed to do. She picked up the red pencil. In her neatest handwriting, she wrote, I’m sorry.

She slid the paper heart to Allie’s desk. She swallowed, not daring to look at Allie.

The heart slid back to Natalie’s desk. On it was Allie’s messy handwriting: OK.

“I’m really sorry about your dress,” Natalie whispered. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

Allie shrugged. “I hate this dress, anyway.”

“You do?”

Allie nodded. “Maybe now my mom won’t make me wear it anymore. Isn’t it the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen?”

“Well… sort of.” Natalie took a deep breath. “You still want to know how I do my hearts?” she asked softly.

A smile spread across Allie’s face. Natalie smiled back. • Maria Antonia

How About You?

Are you kind to others—even when they get on your nerves? We can all be unloving at times and do things that hurt others. The good news is that Jesus forgives our wrongs and helps us show others the kind of love He has shown us. But it’s also important that we seek forgiveness from those we hurt. We don’t need to make excuses. The best way is often the simplest way—just say, “I’m sorry.”

Today’s Key Verse:
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Be kind to others