Have you ever become a little irritated by the guy in front of you on the road who keeps speeding up and slowing down and driving like a drunk? Do you ever get irritated and honk or mutter under your breath? I do. I’m not going to do it again.

A couple of days ago I was that driver. I wasn’t drinking, I was lost in a town I wasn’t familiar with, out of state, trying to find my turn. Someone in a little black car with a loud, obnoxious horn blared it at us while we were trying hard to find our way. I didn’t honk back or give them any particular kind of wave, but I did have bad thoughts about someone so obnoxious and with such lack of compassion.

And now I’m watching my own thoughts a little more closely. I’ve noticed in the past that what goes around comes around. If I say something a little catty (which of course I seldom do) it comes back to haunt me in some way. If I react to someone in anger and express my opinion a little more strongly than necessary, I pay for it. Yes, God really is watching.

We can make up our minds to think the best of people, or we can allow a chip to ride on our shoulders and jump to wrong conclusions. Bad conclusions hurt not only others, but they hurt us. I’d rather have a good opinion about someone who doesn’t deserve it than hurt a relationship with someone who would make a good friend.

So from now on I’m jumping to good conclusions about people as often as I can.