The Painted Bench (Part 1)

Bible Reading: Matthew 5:23-24; Hebrews 12:14-15

Grandpa looked up when Gabby trudged outside and sat down next to him dejectedly. “Is something the matter?” Grandpa asked.

Gabby took a deep breath. “Evan is mad at me. I said I was going to help him with his chores, but then I forgot and went out with my friends. I tried to make it up to him by cleaning his room as a surprise, but not only did I make a bigger mess, I also broke his favorite action figure. He’s never going to talk to me again.”

Grandpa waited for Gabby to catch her breath. “Did you apologize?”

“What’s the point?” Gabby asked. “He’ll never forgive me!”

Grandpa looked down. “What do you think of this bench, Gabby?”

Gabby shrugged. “It looks beat up—kind of like how I feel.”

Grandpa smiled. “It’s been sitting out here a long time, so it sure looks that way. I’ve already finished replacing some of the wood, and now I’m going to paint it. Do you want to help?”

“Sure,” Gabby said, and together they started painting the bench.

A while later, Gabby stepped back to admire their work. “Wow! It looks almost brand-new now!” she exclaimed.

“Yes, it does, doesn’t it?” Grandpa said. “You know, our relationships are like this bench. Sometimes they go through tough times and get beaten and worn, and sometimes they even break. But if you really treasure the relationship, you’ll take the time to try to mend it, like I did with the bench by replacing some of the wood.”

“But he’s not going to forget all the wrongs things I did even if I apologize,” Gabby said.

Grandpa patted Gabby’s shoulder. “Admitting we did something wrong and asking for forgiveness is like putting on a new coat of paint. It’s not necessarily erasing the old, bad parts of the relationship, but it lets the other person know that you’re sorry and want to make things better. It’s hard to do, but Jesus will be there with you. He forgives us when we admit our wrongs, and He gives us the strength to ask for forgiveness when we’ve wronged others.”

Gabby nodded thoughtfully, then went inside to find her brother. Gabriella Hsu

How About You?

Does it seem pointless to apologize sometimes? Ignoring the problem may seem like the easiest decision, but it can also be the most harmful one. Mend your relationships by apologizing when you’re in the wrong. Ask Jesus for forgiveness when you’ve hurt someone, and trust Him to help you tell the person you hurt you’re sorry too.

Today’s Key Verse: James 5:16 Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Apologize to people you’ve wronged