One kind act at a time. Most people have probably heard of the idea of paying it forward. There's the whole system of making coffee available to someone who needs it and other ways to offer acts of kindness.
Just recently I came across two incidents that set me thinking.
I was reading one man's account of his experience of sitting with a friend at a pizza place. Both of them were in Christian ministry. They'd had a rough day but sat and chatted and ate pizza. At the end of the time the waitress asked what their plans were and they said they were there for an event. She asked if it was about God. They were surprised as they weren't wearing crosses or clerical garb, nor did they piously bow their head to say grace before eating or sing hymns or rattle tambourines.
They admitted it was going to be an event about God but asked how she knew. Her reply was, 'It's simple. Your were nice to me. I figured it had something to do with God.' Phew!
Some time back I went to the local clinic to have a blood test. No appointments. Just turn up. My heart sank as I saw the number of people in front of me. But I had a book with me and waited my turn. Eventually I headed in to find a new blood taker filling in while the regular one is away. We chatted as she did the necessary paper work and prep stuff. Then she looked at the book I had put down with my other stuff. 'Is that a Christian book?' she asked. 'Yes,' I told her,' but how did you know?' (It didn't have a cross on it or a religious type picture. 'Oh,' she said, 'because you are so kind.' She assured me that others are impatient and get annoyed about the waiting and so on.
Well, I know things can be tough and frustrating and annoying and I am sure Christians don't have the monopoly on being kind although our founder told us to love one another, but maybe something as simple as being kind can change the world. I have a feeling I've written about this before, but maybe I just need to be reminded on a daily basis.
Just be kind.
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