   When you study the lives of those who were greatly used by God in the Bible, you see that they were not spared from hurt, disappointment or even betrayal. The truth is, if you live long enough, you'll be wronged by someone. The question is, how will you react? The apostle Paul tells us how we should react: 'Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others' (Colossians 3:13 NLT). 

   The story is told of two friends who were walking through the desert when they got into an argument. One friend slapped the other in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt. But without saying anything, he wrote in the sand, 'Today my best friend slapped me in the face.' They kept walking until they found an oasis. Since they were thirsty, they stopped for water. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire, fell in, and started to drown. His friend then reached out and saved him. That night, the saved man etched this in a stone: 'Today my best friend saved my life.' The friend who had slapped and then saved him asked, 'After I hurt you, you wrote in sand. And now you write on a stone. Why?' He replied: 'When someone hurts us, we should write it in sand, where the winds of forgiveness can blow and erase it. But when someone does something good for us, we should engrave it in stone where it will be long remembered.' 

   Mercy forgets wrongs and remembers rights!





— SCRIPTURE —

    'Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive.' Colossians 3:13 NLT
— SOULFOOD —

    Joel 1-3, Matt 1:18-25, Ps 43, Pro 10:17-18
    

When you study the lives of those who were greatly used by God in the Bible, you see that they were not spared from hurt, disappointment or even betrayal. The truth is, if you live long enough, you'll be wronged by someone. The question is, how will you react? The apostle Paul tells us how we should react: 'Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others' (Colossians 3:13 NLT). The story is told of two friends who were walking through the desert when they got into an argument. One friend slapped the other in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt. But without saying anything, he wrote in the sand, 'Today my best friend slapped me in the face.' They kept walking until they found an oasis. Since they were thirsty, they stopped for water. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire, fell in, and started to drown. His friend then reached out and saved him. That night, the saved man etched this in a stone: 'Today my best friend saved my life.' The friend who had slapped and then saved him asked, 'After I hurt you, you wrote in sand. And now you write on a stone. Why?' He replied: 'When someone hurts us, we should write it in sand, where the winds of forgiveness can blow and erase it. But when someone does something good for us, we should engrave it in stone where it will be long remembered.' Mercy forgets wrongs and remembers rights!
 
 — SCRIPTURE — 
 'Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive.' Colossians 3:13 NLT 
 — SOULFOOD — 
 Joel 1-3, Matt 1:18-25, Ps 43, Pro 10:17-18

The Word For Today is a daily devotional by authors Bob and Debby Gass. Every day, tens of thousands of people across New Zealand are encouraged and uplifted by its relevant insights.

The daily readings resonate with people as they often speak into their current circumstances. Often readers express wonder at how a particular day’s devotion appeared to be ‘written just for me’

The Word For Today is a daily devotional by authors Bob and Debby Gass. Every day, tens of thousands of people across New Zealand are encouraged and uplifted by its relevant insights.
The daily readings resonate with people as they often speak into their current circumstances. Often readers express wonder at how a particular day&rsquo;s devotion appeared to be &lsquo;written just for me&rsquo;