Summary: Elijah looked up when his grandma spoke. "Why so glum, buddy?" she asked. "No one likes me," replied Elijah with a sigh. "The kids call me big mouth." "And why is that?" asked Grandma. "I . . . I said something about a guy on my soccer team, and he found out," said Elijah. "And then . . . well, I told a secret after I promised Patrick I wouldn't." "Hm-m-m," murmured Grandma, taking a book of Chinese folk tales from a shelf. She settled into a chair near Elijah. "Maybe this story will help you," she said. Grandma began to read aloud. "In a small Chinese village a woman known for her hateful way of talking about others, decided one morning to turn over a new leaf. She wanted to be remembered for good things. So she went to the wisest old man in the village. 'I don't want people to remember me as a hateful loud mouth,' she said. 'How can I make it right?'" Grandma glanced at Elijah, then continued reading. "The old man stood up, looked around his small home, and picked up a pillow. 'Let's take a walk,' he said, ripping a hole in the pillow. As they walked all over the village, he held the pillow in the breeze and let the tiny white feathers inside float away. "Puzzled, the woman looked at the old man. 'Aren't you going to tell me how to make things right with the people in this village?' she asked. "'Go back,' the man said, 'and put every feather back into the pillow. Then you will know.' "'That's impossible,' cried the woman. 'They're everywhere. They can never be taken back.' "The old man smiled. 'Nor can the words of our mouths be taken back once they are spoken,' he replied. "'Then what should I do?' the woman asked sadly. "'Stop spreading the feathers,' was the answer." Grandma closed the book. "So . . . then would people remember her for good things?" Elijah asked. "And if I change my ways, my friends will notice and stop being mean?" "Hopefully," Grandma replied. "The Bible says we can use our mouths to be a blessing, but if we aren't careful they can be a real problem. You can't take words back, but you can apologize and use your mouth to be a blessing from now on." Elijah nodded. "I'd much rather be a blessing than a feather spreader." How About You? Are you guilty of spreading unkind words? What consequences have you faced as a result? Has it made other kids distrust and perhaps dislike you? Someone has suggested that before you say anything about someone else, you should ask yourself, "Is it true and is it kind?" Also be sure to ask yourself, "Will it be pleasing to the Lord?" Make a commitment to God to never be a feather spreader by saying something you'll want to take back. Say only things acceptable to Him. Today's Key Verse: Let the words of my mouth . . . be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord. (Psalms 19:14) Today's Key Thought: Use words acceptable to God
