Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Proverbs 17:22 (05/04/23)
-
TITLE: Joy Returns | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Meiners
05/05/23 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
I had to share this news with my son, and it broke his heart - as it did mine.
In 1974 our family moved to New York where my husband began his first pastorate. We were excited to move into our new home, and new ministry. There was some sadness associated with this move, as we were moving nine-hundred miles from our home which meant we were moving to a place where we knew no one, had no family near by, and no immediate friends.
Our new church was a loving church, and people did reach out to us. It wasn’t long until I had made some friends. One of those friends was a woman named Rose.
Moving with us were our boys ages eleven, eight and 2 month old Douglass. Rose was six years older than me, expecting her second child at the age of 40. She was frightened, but also excited. I came alongside her and offered her support and encouragement, especially since her first child was born with some handicap issues.
She gave birth to a healthy boy. Erik and Douglass became friends from the moment Erik was born. They grew up together, attended the same school, were involved in the same church activities, played the same sport, had many sleep-overs plus doing all the crazy things boys will do. Indeed, they were best friends, as was Rose and I (or so I thought).
One Sunday morning I entered church and approached Rose to say “hi”.
She ignored me.
What?
I tried again later in the morning to speak to her. She walked away. “What had I done,” I wondered.
This went on for several weeks. I approached an elder friend of both of us and asked if he knew what was going on. He didn’t and he wasn’t going to get involved.
So much for that. I was totally on my own to figure things out.
I did what the Bible tells us to do, I went to Rose to find out what I had done so I could apologize. I poured my heart out to her. “Rose, what have I done to upset you. I really want to ask for your forgiveness so we can move on.”
No response.
Nothing.
Simply a blank stare.
I was crushed. “What should I do now?” I asked myself.
There was nothing more to do except leave. As I left she said to me, “I don’t want Doug playing with Eric anymore. Keep him away from my son.”
Her response completely crushed my spirit and I could only imagine how it would crush Douglass.
As best I could I explained to Douglass that he would not be able to play with his best friend for awhile. He could talk to him at church and school, but there would be no more sleep-overs. Even though he didn’t understand, he complied.
A year went by. Rose and I attended our annual church retreat. Our speaker spoke on ‘Loving One Another’. After our Friday evening meeting Roses’ heart had been convicted. She came to me, grabbed me and started sobbing “Can you forgive me. I was so wrong.”
Of course I could forgive her.
She never did tell me why she was so angry with me. To this day I still do not know. What I do know is she apologized and our relationship was restored. Douglass and Eric remain best friends these 40 plus years later.
Indeed there is truth in the proverb “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
An “I’m sorry, please forgive me” was the perfect medicine to bring joy to my heart as well as to the hearts of two little boys.
Story is non-fiction
Scripture from ESV - Proverbs 17:22
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.