Read: Matthew 5:23-24; Romans 12:18; 1 John 1:9

“Jia’s mad at me,” Lara told her mother as they drove down a country road toward town. “When she got an A on our spelling test and I got a C, I—well, I said she must have cheated. I know I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Why don’t you text her and apologize?” suggested Mom.

“Okay, I will, but not right now,” Lara said. “I’ll wait until she’s in a better mood.” As Mom turned down a side road, Lara looked at her in surprise. “Why are we turning here?”

“This is a shorter way to town,” said Mom. “I don’t know how good the road will be after all the rain we’ve had, but let’s give it a try.”

For a short distance the road was good, but then the pavement ended and the road became very muddy. “I think we should go back,” said Lara.

“I think you’re right,” said Mom. “We’ll have to find a place to turn around.”

“How about there?” Lara pointed to a narrow path leading into a field.

Mom slowed down, but then shook her head. “Those ditches at the side of that path are awfully deep. We need to find a better spot.”

A little later, Lara motioned toward a wider spot in the road. “How about here?”

But Mom passed by that one too. “That’s not exactly the perfect spot either,” she said.

“Mom!” Lara threw her head back against the seat. “If you ask me, the first possible spot is always the perfect spot!”

“I’m beginning to think you’re right,” Mom said as she stopped the car and began to back up.

After they turned around, Mom spoke. “Waiting for a perfect spot was pretty silly, huh? We made a mistake in coming this way, and the first chance to correct that mistake was the best chance. That’s also true when we make mistakes that hurt others. When we realize what we did was wrong, we need to confess our sin to Jesus so He can forgive us and help us make things right. That includes apologizing to those we’ve hurt right away.”

Lara sighed. “Okay, I get what you’re saying. Can I use your phone so I can text Jia?”

–Corrine Canavan-Fifield

How about you? Do you have a hard time saying you’re sorry when you’ve done something wrong? It’s not easy to admit our mistakes, but putting it off usually makes things worse. Jesus promises to forgive us the moment we confess our sins to Him, and He’ll help us restore our relationships with others. So don’t wait for a better time—apologize and ask for forgiveness right away.

Today's Key Verse: First go and be reconciled to them. Matthew 5:24 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Say you’re sorry right away