Don’t Forget the Toothpaste!

Ruby and Sage leapt out of their beds. It was the first day of camp! Sage looked at the clock--they still had an entire hour before it was time to leave. She fidgeted and wriggled as though she were about to burst. Ruby, on the other hand, sat patiently at the breakfast bar, one hand wrapped around a mug, the other holding a book. Sage was far too excited to read, and so she began to practice her dance routine instead."And right, two, three, four, and jump, two, three, four, and spin--"Suddenly there was a crash, followed by the gushing of spilt tea. Sage's twirling arm had knocked Ruby's mug over."Sage! You've just spilt tea all down my jeans!" Ruby's face grew red with rage. "My book!" she shrieked. "It's soaking wet! You idiot!" She stormed out of the room.Sage felt hurt. "Well, at least I'm not a boring, head-in-the-clouds bookworm!" she called after her. Soon after, it was time to leave. There was a stony silence as they rode in the car. "Maybe you girls should apologize and start over?" suggested Mum. "Or would you prefer to go off to camp under a cloud?"Sage was the first to speak. "Ruby, I'm so sorry I got your book wet. And I'm sorry for calling you names."Ruby sighed. "I'm sorry too, Sage. I got angry and was really mean."By the time they arrived at camp, the two sisters were chatting and laughing again.As Mum hugged them both goodbye, she pulled a tube of toothpaste out of her pocket. "You almost forgot this!" she said, handing it to Ruby. "You know, your grandpa once told me that unkind words are a bit like toothpaste. They come out very easily--especially when life gives you a squeeze!" "You can say that again!" said Ruby."But the trouble is," Mum continued, "once those mean words are out, you can never put them back in again.""Like toothpaste?" asked Sage. "Exactly," said Mum. "Yet unlike toothpaste, which always comes out when it's squeezed, you can control the words that come out of your mouth. Since you know Jesus, He gives you the power to choose your words out of wisdom and love, even when you feel angry or hurt. So next time you girls disagree--don't forget the toothpaste!"–Angela Jelf