在卡羅萊納州夏日的艷陽下，喬治正忙著一項建築工程，這時一個住在附近的人走進了喬治正在施工的院子裡。這位鄰居顯然極度生氣，開始咒罵、批評與建築工程相關的每一件事和施工過程。喬治雖然受到言語攻擊，但卻默不作聲。等到這位怒氣沖沖的鄰居停止咆哮之後，喬治才心平氣和地說：「你今天一定很累，諸事不順，對嗎？」溫柔的語氣和態度讓這位橫眉豎眼的鄰居覺得羞愧，他的臉色緩和了下來，低著頭說：「我用這種態度跟你說話，真的很抱歉。」喬治的溫柔和仁慈平息了鄰居的怒氣。

遇到這種情況，有些時候我們會想要回擊，以牙還牙、以眼還眼，而喬治卻示範了如何以恩慈待人。這讓我聯想到，耶穌在承擔你我犯罪的後果時，完美地體現了這種恩慈，「祂被罵不還口，受害不說威嚇的話，只將自己交託那按公義審判人的主」（彼得前書2章23節）。

我們都有面臨被人誤解、被歪曲事實，甚或遭到攻擊的時刻。也許，我們會想要以同樣的方式回擊對方，但耶穌的心意是要我們心存恩慈，追求和睦並諒解對方。上帝今天就能讓我們滿有恩慈，也許祂可以使用你我，讓一整天都諸事不順的人得到祝福。

George was working on a construction job in the heat of the Carolina summer sun when someone living nearby walked into the yard where he was working. Clearly angry, the neighbor began to curse and criticize everything about the project and how it was being done. George received the verbal blows without response until the angry neighbor stopped yelling. Then he gently responded, “You’ve had a really hard day, haven’t you?” Suddenly, the angry neighbor’s face softened, his head dipped, and he said, “I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you.” George’s kindness had defused the neighbor’s wrath.  

There are times when we want to strike back. To give abuse for abuse and insult for insult. What George modeled instead was a kindness seen most perfectly in the way Jesus bore the consequences of our sins: “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23). 

All of us will face moments when we’re misunderstood, misrepresented, or attacked. We may want to respond in kind, but the heart of Jesus calls us to be kind, to pursue peace and display understanding. As He enables us today, perhaps God could use us to bless someone enduring a hard day.