A Little Pebble

Each day I enjoy taking what I call my “health walk.” During this time, it’s my intent to unwind from the cares of the day and release my worries and concerns to God. Generally, I come home feeling renewed in body and spirit. On this day, however, that was not the case. Irked over a dispute with a friend, I never noticed that I must have inadvertently kicked a pebble into my shoe. When I returned home the pain was undeniable, and when I removed my shoe, I could see that the pebble had rubbed a sore on the sole of my foot.

That pebble provided a valuable lesson for me. Had I noticed the irritant immediately and removed it, my foot would have never suffered damage. Likewise, I could see that the longer I stewed over the situation with my friend, the damage to our relationship would only grow. That night, I made an impromptu phone call to her and worked things out. As a result, we both laid down our bad feelings and attained peace. The smallest pebbles — a bit of gossip, a dose of jealousy, a dash of resentment — can rub us the wrong way. Removing those pebbles in our thoughts and hearts quickly averts damage, both temporary and permanent.