CHANGEUP TONIC

Friday, June 7, 2019
[email protected]
Florida, USA
THE ROTTEN TOMATOES…

teacher decided to let her class play a game. The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few tomatoes.

Each tomato will be given a name of a person that the child hates, so the number of tomatoes that a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number of people he/she hates.

When the day came, every child brought some tomatoes with the name of the people he/she hated. Some had two tomatoes and some had up to five tomatoes. The teacher then told the children to carry the tomatoes in their plastic bags wherever they go for one week.

Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten tomatoes. After one week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.

The teacher asked: How did you feel while carrying the tomatoes with you for one week? The children started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through having to carry the heavy and smelly tomatoes wherever they go. Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.

The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart". The stench of hatred will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten tomatoes for just one week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred in your heart for your lifetime?

Hate is a deadly weapon in the hands of the devil with which he uses to destroy nations, families and individuals. Hate has venom. When you hate someone, it doesn't stop there. Hate is a precursor which breeds other vices. People have killed as a result of that. Nations have gone to war because of hate. Families have been torn apart as a result of this monster. Hate is a cage. It puts a person in bondage. Hate has caused a lot of problems in this world but it hasn't solved any one yet. Have you been hurt so badly that you have vowed you will never forgive and as a result you have become so hateful and resentful? The person you hate indirectly controls your life. No matter how happy you are, once you think about the person or what transpired, you lose your peace. Don't live in the valley of hate. There is peace on the highland of forgiveness. Forgiveness doesn't excuse their actions rather it stops their action from hurting you. People hurt each other. It happens to everyone; intentionally, unintentionally, regretfully or not. It's a part of what we do as people. The beauty is that we have the ability to heal and forgive. In a blink of an eye everything can change. So forgive and love with all your heart. You may never know when you may not have that chance again. Ask God for that grace and He will heal your heart. Trust Him. You are 'bigly' blessed.

NEWS SECTIONS