“Why are you being so nice to me?” The woman asked the black teenager as she unpacked the groceries. She had hurt her ankle in a fall and was told to rest it for a week.
The girl, her neighbor, offered to assist her until she was fully recovered. She was following the example of her grandmother, the paragon of Christian charity who taught her to be kind to everyone, even the undeserving.
“The Bible says to love thy neighbor,” she said simply. “You’re my neighbor.”
“I’ve never been nice to you.”
“It’s not too late to start being nice.”
100 Words
This post is for the Friday’s Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. You can find this week’s prompt Here. To read other stories or to participate, click Here. The post also features Rag Tag’s prompt word for today: Paragon.
Notes to Women 
Example is sometimes better than precept
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Yes. We can lead by example.
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❤ The girl's grandmother taught her right.
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Yes, she did.
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Dear Adele,
What a pity we define people by skin color and not what’s in their hearts. I’m glad God looks on the inner man/woman. Of course everyone ‘sees’ color. Why can’t we learn to appreciate it? At any rate, good story. Let’s hope the old woman has learned from this experience. 😉 ❤
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
You’re right, it is sad when we can’t see past a person’s skin color. Character and what’s in the heart are what really count. Yes, God Himself said that man looks at the outward appearance but He looks at the heart. And that’s what we should do. See the person and not just their color. It’s a lesson that we seem to have trouble learning even after all of these years. I would like to believe that the old woman has learned from this girl’s kindness. Thanks 🙂
Shalom,
Adele
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A very powerful message that it isn’t too late to change your thinking to what you know is right. We are too advanced to think that color makes people different.
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Thank you. It’s never too late to change for the better. It just takes faith, courage and the example of others. Color doesn’t make people different. We all want the same thing–equality, justice and opportunity to live good lives.
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Kudos to the neighbour for being nice despite the other’s lack. Maybe she will rub off on her.
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Hopefully, the girl’s kindness will rub off on her. I believe it will.
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I like to think so
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I’m hopeful that it will 🙂
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