If you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my child, to set yourself free, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor. (Proverbs: 6:2,3)

A woman in a fancy luxury car waited patiently in a crowded mall lot for a parking place to open up. She drove up and down between rows until finally she saw a man with a load of packages head for his car, She followed him and parked behind him, waiting while he opened his trunk and loaded it. Finally he got into his car and backed out. Just as she was preparing to pull forward into the space, a young man in a little sports car–coming from the opposite direction–turned in front of her and zipped into the space. He got out of his car and started to walk away. The woman was livid. She shouted from her big luxury car, “Hey, young man! I was waiting for that parking space.”

The teenager turned and responded, “Sorry, lady, but that’s how it is when you’re young and quick.”

She instantly put her car in gear, floor-boarded it and crashed into the side of the sports car. It was now the teenager’s turn to jump up and down and scream, “Lady, what are you doing?”

The woman in the luxury car calmly responded, “That’s how it is when you’re old and rich!”

Most of the world’s problems could probably be resolved if we would abandon the urge to retaliate and get even. By making apologies when they are needed, we build bridges of respect and trust.

God of Justice, calm our spirits in those times when we feel we have been wronged. Help us to uplift others instead of trying to get even.