By the time she got to me, I didn’t even try to smile. I had my debit card already in hand as I shoved the groceries across the counter. Still the cashier smiled at me and started scanning the items. She thanked me with a warm smile and handed me my receipt.

I felt a little guilty for so openly displaying my anger. So I just nodded and grabbed my groceries. Although I felt God telling me not to get so upset over something so insignificant, I still wanted to let someone else know how aggravated I was. So I headed to customer service.

When I spoke with the head cashier, she told me that the new cashier, Sheri, had suffered a stroke several months earlier. I felt completely embarrassed and humbled. I hadn’t sensed that she was disabled in any way, and I had treated her horribly—not at all like God wanted me to treat her. I thanked the head cashier and went back to apologize to Sheri. I’d already made a bad first impression, and I didn’t want Sheri to feel bad about my behavior toward her.

Being able to control your temper is a good thing. So try to remember in the heat of the moment that we shouldn’t allow ourselves to lash out at others in destructive anger. If you lose your temper frequently, commit the matter to serious prayer. God can change you.