Horseshoes and Hand Grenades: A Drama

Scene I
Sarah: Mindlessly mouthing off.
Other Person: Offended.
Sarah: Well, seriously!

Sarah huffs to herself about how easily people are offended, muttering phrases such as "Obviously it wasn't mean that way," "Why did he have to become so offended?" and, "Good grief! Is all this reaction really necessary?"

Sarah self-righteously inserts space between herself and offended Other Person.

Sarah become convicted about attitude.

Sarah pouts about having to apologize.

Scene II
Sarah: Half-way apologizes for responding in an irritated way to Other Person's being offended.
Other Person: Unfooled. Still offended.
Sarah: Well, seriously!

Scene III
Sarah grouches through an undocumented amount of time, discontented with the lack of resolution, but fighting the acknowledgement that what was said was offensive.

Conscience: Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Apologize all the way or not at all, but don't fool yourself that such a measly half-way, half-hearted offering was actually an attempt at making things right.
Sarah: Oh, I do wish you would hush! I don't need that right now. What I said was not meant the way he took it! If I apologize completely, he'll think it was, and if I apologize completely with the disclaimers and explanations, it won't sound or be sincere.
Conscience: I'm just saying...
Sarah: Fine! But I'm not sorry because I it wasn't my intention to offend, and how can I apologize for that?

Sarah sits on the floor of her room, arms crossed, fighting conscience. Finally, she gives in, only to discover that, even though she now wants to apologize, she really is not even sorry yet. Realizing that prayer is her only answer, she then begs the LORD to change her heart and emotions and give her His perspective on the situation.

Scene IV
Sarah: Appropriate, miraculously heart-felt apology.
Other Person: Forgiveness.

Resolution has come once again to the relationship, as the LORD shows that it is only He who can provide the desire and the way of peace among people. This small snippet reminds us of the larger truths: that it is only through the LORD that peace can be attained between us and Himself, and that a half-way, "sort-of" apology is useless. "Close" obedience doesn't work like horseshoes and hand grenades.

{The End}

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/43967421@N00/3014052413/in/photolist-5AkNLV-5Gob14-5X1a8z-61v9k4-6yuDmD-74jKzz-7dqMQN-7gVRKo-8AHEEh-7BgKzf-7MdMN3-er1LQi-er1Juc-er1EQT-er1YHz-erWXFh-er1BWp-erX4L3-er1Go6-erWZaY-er1SWn-er1HK6-er1TMB-er1Xm6-er1KiK-erX8EQ-er1BnB-erX7SG-erWUEb-erWWaY-erXcMs-erXbWh-er1Pfg-erX3aw-er1DeP-erX78W-erXdKW-erX9s3-er1Y64-er1B68-8MxcMV-8MxcCc-8MAifW-8Mxcmz-8AEAcv-8AHFrY-9wYSRA-9wVLZ8-c7hdYS-91HL1p-dZp6qC
Photo2 Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7828491@N04/2861725741/in/photolist-5mT6mZ