Speak with Grace

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3:16)

Saturday, my husband and I went on a bus trip to Niagara Falls. It had been 42 years since our last visit. To say things had changed would be an understatement. Where small souvenir shops existed, casinos now breakup the horizon. Motels in the form of skyscrapers replace single-dwelling houses. Giant Ferris wheels and water slides occupy areas where trees once lived.

But one thing remained the same—the falls. It’s majesty, power, and breath-taking beauty stood in stark contrast to all the manmade hoopla. God’s creation never ceases to amaze and inspire me.

After riding the Maid of the Midst, Gene and I walked through the aquarium. The clerk said we had about 40 minutes to browse before it closed for the evening. I snapped pictures of most of the underwater creatures, taking a few minutes to admire the unique designs of each exhibit … seahorses, poisonous frogs, and lion fish to name a few. In the last tank, the nimble appendages of coral danced, entrancing any onlookers. One lady stood close to the tank, like a small child who had never seen such a performance, truly mesmerized by it.

I watched with her a moment then said, “I don’t know about you, but I believe God created all of this.”

A huge smile lit up her face. “Yes, I believe it too.”

“How anyone can observe such wonder and beauty and think it just happened is beyond me.”

The lady nodded in agreement then said to her husband sitting on a nearby bench, “Did you hear what she said?” He shook his head. She repeated our conversation with enthusiasm.

I don’t know why I talked to that lady. I don’t often speak to strangers. Let’s face it, I don’t often speak to people I know unless they speak to me first. Nevertheless, I felt an urge to express my joy of the Creator at that moment. It seemed to be something she needed to hear. And for a brief moment, the lady and I connected. Our hearts sang a spiritual song of praise to our Lord without the spoken word.

How about you? How has God used you to make a stranger’s heart sing?

See you in a twinkling,

Brenda K. Hendricks