BY DAWN REED
In Psalm 23:6, David wrote, “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life…” (NIV). There are many translations and interpretations of what he meant by his words.
Because the Bible is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12), it speaks differently each time we read it. Today, Psalm 23:6 has me picturing a boat that leaves a wake behind it. As a ship travels through water, it leaves ripples. Now picture a woman who leaves a wake behind her.
We were visiting my sister and her husband in Bowling Green last week. Celebrating my beloved’s birthday, supper was planned at one of his favorite restaurants. Our reservation was for 6 pm.
When we checked in, a beautiful young lady beamed when she saw my sister. “That’s Mrs. Curry, my fifth-grade teacher,” she whispered to a coworker as she smiled ear to ear. They hugged and caught up quickly before we were directed to a table.
That former fifth grader, Kiana, just happened to be our server for the meal. “She was one of my favorite students,” my sister gushed. And she meant it. Though 15 years ago, she recalled when Kiana was 10, she rode a 4-wheeler all over her farm to feed their animals before school. She never complained and was never late. It had been impressive for a 10-year-old (or any year old).
Kiana was a delight. Her admiration for her teacher was evident. She treated my sister as if she were royalty.
“Mrs. Curry,” as she is known far and wide, is a retired elementary school teacher. Over the years she has impacted thousands of children’s lives. She didn’t just educate them; she blessed them with kind words, smiles, and love. For decades, she has thrown kindness around like confetti. Goodness and love definitely follow my sister.
When people see her, they know her either from school or the church she attends. They always go away smiling. She leaves a good feeling behind. You know…like good medicine. Do you have someone in your life like that? Are you someone like that?
What do we leave in our wake? What follows behind us? Are people glad to see us coming? Do they groan with relief when we exit or hide in the store if they see us across the way? Jesus can help us change that in 2026.
Mrs. Curry loves Jesus, and you can tell. Mrs. Curry acts like Jesus. In the New Testament, we read many stories of Jesus showing hands-on love to lepers, the blind, the poor, to fishermen, tax collectors, children, the demon-possessed, and everyone in between.
We don’t have to be a Mrs. Curry. (There’s only one of her!) And we don’t have to be a schoolteacher to make a difference. God can use us right where we are to be salt and light, to be Jesus with skin on.
In John 13:34-35, Jesus commands us to love others. He goes on to say that people will know we are His when we do. Then we can be sure that goodness and love will follow us, too. Like David and Mrs. Curry.