Which Had the Best of It?

Francis Bourdillon, 1873

"I can tell you, I gave it to her good! I wasn't going to put up with anything of that sort. She won't ever do it again!"

"Ah, you did give it to her good, Mrs. Barnes; why, I could hear you half-way down the street. How you did go on at her, to be sure! And she had not a word to say. But what was it all about?"

"Oh, she must needs be meddling with my son Jack. The boy was playing marbles with other boys, and he swore—that was all. And she heard him (it was close by her door, you know), and she came out and told him of it. To be sure, the boy ought not to have sworn, but what business was it of hers? Why couldn't she let my boy alone? However, I think she got more than she gave."

"Ah, you've got a great spirit, Mrs. Barnes. I don't doubt you had the best of it with her."

"Best of it? Yes, I think I had the best of it. She only said something about not wanting to quarrel, and then she walked into her house and shut the door, as mute as a mouse. Yes, I think I had the best of it, indeed."

What do you think, reader? For my part, I think Mrs. Wood had the best of it—not Mrs. Barnes. For Mrs. Barnes let her temper get the mastery over her—but Mrs. Wood overcame hers. Mrs. Barnes sinned, both in her heart and with her tongue; Mrs. Wood, by God's grace, was kept right.

The world and the Bible do not agree about this. "What a spirit she has!" cries the world, when a person behaves like Mrs. Barnes—but the world despises the meek and gentle.

But what does the Bible say? "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).

Which do you go by, reader—the world, or the Bible? Mrs. Wood was a true Christian, taught by the Holy Spirit and believing in the Lord Jesus as her Savior. She had read of One "who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten" (1 Peter 2:23). She had read of cruel men hating Him and mocking Him and killing Him, and that He did nothing but pray for them: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). She thought of this when Mrs. Barnes's bad words hurt her and made her begin to feel angry; and she put up a prayer in her heart, and God helped her to speak kindly; and she did not go to rest that night without praying for her neighbor, that God would forgive her and change her heart. Surely, she had the best of it.

Remember, reader, if you would be like Jesus, a proud spirit must be kept down, not indulged. Let me give you a text: "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do" (Colossians 3:12-13).