Apology

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged,for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

By Susan Stilwell

I didn’t want to, but my mom made me.

“Sarah,” Mom said, “you hurt Jenny’s feelings when you joked about her shoes. You remember how you felt when the kids teased you about your backpack.”

I thought about that day, and it still hurt my feelings. The kids at school laughed and said, “Girls don’t carry camouflage.” I can still hear the hateful way they spit those words at me. I remember running into the house and dumping everything out of my brand new camouflage backpack after school.

I asked for the same backpack my big brother had. Loaded with zippered pouches and a webbed pocket for a water bottle, I thought it was the most awesome thing ever. Until the kids at school made fun of it.

“I want you to apologize to Jenny,” Mom insisted.

A lump rose in my throat as I thought about what I’d say to her, and I suddenly felt scared. Then I remembered a Bible story my mom read about Joshua being scared. God promised to be with him and told him not to be afraid. Mom said God would be with me anytime I was afraid.

That was good to know, because I had a feeling I would need Him.

Susan Stilwell is part of a family full of “S”s. Her husband’s name is Steve, her son’s name is Scott, her daughter’s name is Sarah and their Yorkie’s name is Sophie. Susan blogs, writes devotions and articles and loves teaching her  friends how to program their smartphones. She lives in the mountains of Virginia  with her family.