BEAUTY FOR ASHES

What have you left behind today? What did you do ? What did you say?
Did you leave behind beauty for ashes?
And shed the light of Jesus along life's highway.
What did you leave behind today, when that grouchy old woman snarled at you as she crossed your path?
Did you speak a soft answer to turn away her wrath?
Or did you snap and quarrel in the aftermath?
What did you leave behind today when that teen aged driver cut in front of you?
Did you bless him and forgive him as the Bible says to do?
Or did you return his hand jester as anger made your face turn blue?
What did you do when your little girl broke your vase, running through the house as she had been told not to do ?
Did you make her feel better and say it really did not matter?
Or did you make her cry and send her to her room?
What did you leave behind when the boss frowned and told you he expected better than that?
Were you a wise man and receive a rebuke?
Or did you get mad and gossip about him benind his back?
What did you leave behind when you come home tired and your wife tells about her terrible day?
The washer quit, the kids were unruly, she has a headache and the dog has run away.
Did you bring order to the choas with kindness and love?
Or did your family tremble in fear as you cursed and gave the screendoor a shove?
Did you give beauty for ashes as each encounter came your way?
Could they see Jesus in the things you said and did today?
What did you leave behind when the preacher pleaded for your soul and told you about the blood that would save you for eternity?
Did you fall to your knees and accept His love?
Or did you say, "You know that Jesus stuff is just not for me?"
What do the people remember from what you leftbehind today?
What will they do? What will they say?
Will they remember you with a smile and a peaceful sigh?
Or will they remember the hurt you left behind when you made them cry?
What have you left behind today? What did you do? What did you say?
Did you leave beauty for ashes?
And shed the light of Jesus along life's highway?
Oh, Brother what did you do, what did you say?