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Christian Short Stories
THE COMPLIMENT
Julie was depressed. Nothing seemed to be going right in her life. Sometimes she just wanted to curl up into a corner somewhere and hide forever. Nothing could be worse than feeling alone, rejected and unloved. To her no one seemed to care whether she lived or died. Walking into the department store, with its blaring lights and music, made her feel even worse. People scurried about unaware that she even existed. Her heart ached as she realized she was invisible to the people around her. Everything seemed bleak. She had no one to talk to, no one she could confide in, and no one who cared enough to listen to her. People were simply too busy with their own lives to bother with her needs. Julie walked into the aisle that carried the item she was looking for. She couldn’t see anything through the tears welling up in her eyes. What was the point of living anyway? Who would care if she was to suddenly disappear? As Julie reached for the item she came to purchase, a man stepped up to her and said the kindest words she had heard in a very long time. “You sure look pretty today,” the man said. “Excuse me?” Julie asked wiping the tears from her eyes. “I saw you walk into the store and I just wanted to tell you that,” the man smiled and walked off. Julie watched the man walk away. Obviously, his compliment wasn’t a pickup line. He seemed sincere in what he had said. For Julie, those simple words had made all the difference, and the gloom about her began to lift and withdraw. The corners of her lips curled upward into a smile. Someone had noticed her. She wasn’t invisible after all. What is the moral of this story? Be kind and gentle with your words. You never know, just a simple word of encouragement can impact someone’s life today. Kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. (Proverbs 16:24 NLT) (© 2009 Connie Lanyon-Roberts – written material may not be duplicated without permission.)
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