Recently, I heard a preacher, Colin Smith, re-tell a story that he had heard many years ago.
There was a Pastor who had a deacon in his congregation who had become rather difficult to be around and became a burden to the leadership of the church.
A short time later, the deacon passed away. An autopsy was performed and a large tumor was found in his brain. Because of the size of the tumor, the coroner was able to determine when it had started to grow and it was around the same time that the man’s personality had changed. The Pastor said “If I had known one fact more, it would have changed my whole relationship with this man.”
A lot of times, we don’t know what is happening in people’s lives. Health changes, divorce, job loss, financial problems — the list goes on and on as to what can affect people’s lives and cause them to behave differently than what we are used to.
Colin Smith continued saying how we must be gentle with people. And it’s true. It is easier to lash out than to refrain from saying or doing something.
May the Holy Spirit help me to live exuding gentleness.
“Spirituality must never be used as a kind of cloak or cover for shoddy attitudes towards other people.” Colin SmithÂ
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