Gò0dNews for Everyone
Like Water Off a Duck’s Back by Beth Penny
H
ow many of you have a “list?” Do not pretend you do
takes over your entire body. There is enough negative in
not know what “list” I am referring to. Everyone
the world without you actively creating a dark spot on your
has one. A list of wrongs...grudges. It depends on
soul. In reality, who is that resentment hurting? Not the person
how old you are, but those could be grudges you have held
that committed the “perceived” wrong. I say “perceived”
onto for more than thirty years. We may not remember what
because there are times when the other person does not even
we ate for supper the night before or what errand we are
know they have wronged someone.
supposed to do after work, but we remember who pushed
What do we do to prevent resentment (either real or perceived)
us down on the playground in 2nd grade, who made fun
from taking over our lives? The idiom “water off a duck’s
of the Hello Kitty trapper keeper we so painstakingly chose
back” is the perfect solution. In God’s perfect way of creating nature, duck feathers are coated with a special oil that repels water, like a new car with a great wax job. Water just rolls off when they are paddling around and diving for fish. Let those resentments roll off you in much the same way. Paul told the church at Ephesus the same thing: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32). If you are not careful, bitterness can be a cancer that can overtake your soul. When we spend more time counting wrong than spreading good, our souls become stained, and it is much harder to overcome. Paul also had the remedy for a darkened soul when he addressed the Romans: “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written,
when shopping for school supplies, and who laughed at the
‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. To the contrary,
hand-me-down blue jeans we wore in high school. We all
‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty give him
have that mental list of those who we perceive as wronging
something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals
us. But why? Why hold onto the grudge? In the big picture of life,
on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with
does it really matter?
good” (Romans 12:17-21).
A wise friend reminded me of a perfect analogy for
Take that imaginary list, ball it up, and burn it or toss it
resentment. She said, “Holding a grudge is like drinking
in the garbage. God does not keep a list of our wrongs. Why
poison every day and hoping that it will eventually hurt
are we wasting our time maintaining our own lists?
soul. It is the bad cell that begins to grow and eventually
34 // July 2021
About The Author
someone else.” Holding a grudge is like cancer for your Beth Penny has taught English at Model High School since 1997. There she is also the Yearbook adviser and the Special Education Department Chair. She and her husband, Chad, have four children.
