Catching Bees with Honey

My grandma passed away at age one hundred seven. She was one of the sweetest people I knew. She didn’t have much material wealth, but she was rich with wisdom. When someone was mean to me and I wanted to match their anger, she’d say, “Always remember that you can catch more bees with honey than you can with salt.” She knew the importance of using your words and actions for good. Being kind and nice to others, even when you don’t feel like they deserve it, is a lesson in self-control.

Grandma’s wisdom has been my compass for over fifty years. It has led me in very difficult conversations, when anger could have taken me over. People can say and do things that really get under our skin sometimes, but when we match their anger, our witness gets tainted, and our walk looks lopsided. When we extend grace and love, conviction might fall on the person spewing negativity, and an apology may be forthcoming. However, our extension of kindness is most often a rich reminder for us.

Maura Gale, speaker, actor, author, podcaster

Prayer from Kim Crabill:

Father, thank you for this wise reminder. Today, make me more like yourself. Make me kind, gentle, and loving, even to those who don’t treat me the same way. Give me the grace to overlook offenses and respond with love instead of anger, spite, or pettiness. Help me follow the example of Jesus, who showed compassion even to his murderers. May my love be visible to all and proclaim your goodness to the world. In Jesus’ name, amen.