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The Marvellous Mouthwash

by Terry Barlow
02/10/14
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At the community center I was showing a slide show of a recent trip and inviting my friends. The turnout was respectable though not overwhelming. One friend didn't want to lose his spot in a rummy cube game. He came by later as I was writing about the slide show and apologized, saying he knew he'd missed a good presentation. "Well," I said philosophically, "we all make our choices." That comment effectively ended the conversation. What I was writing at that moment would have been of interest to my friend. It was something I hadn't thought to share at the actual presentation. I didn't really have a good taste in my mouth about how our conversation had ended so abruptly, so I resolved to call that same friend later. He seemed glad when I called, and I went on to tell him that I wanted to share with him an incident from the trip that no else had heard, so that in his own way he could still participate. It led to an extensive and animated conversation and probably prompted another visit from him the next day. I was really glad I had made that call, and not let that bad taste in my mouth "settle" into an attitude or opinion about him. This was the second time in as many months that I took the initiative to "rinse out my mouth" in order to believe something better about others. Taking this extra step, going this extra mile wouldn't have mattered to me only a few short years ago. This too is the Lord's doing, and so welcomely wondrous to behold!