Having only cost a few seconds if his time, this may not have been a very big deal to the driver of the other vehicle. However, to me it was. I had been running late due to having been unable to locate my keys when leaving the house. I had then encountered several intersections as lights were just turning red. Rather than being early for an appointment as I had hoped, I was barely going to make it on time. This gentleman's small act of kindness of waving me through intersection meant more to me then he could have realized. It broke through all of the frustration I had been feeling, and I drove the last few blocks with a big smile both on my face and in my heart.
Scripture tells us to prefer one
another. “Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of
one family], giving precedence and
showing honor to one another.” (Romans 12:10 AMP) Sometimes this the accomplished by seemingly insignificant acts
on our part. Rather than exercising our right to something, we can defer to
another. We may not always be aware of what is going on in someone's life. This
random act of preferring another’s needs and wants over our own, can actually
be extremely important in ways that we will never know this side of heaven.
Serving God does not always come in a
big ministry package. Every word and little act of kindness can build up
another. “Therefore encourage (admonish,
exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as
you are doing.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:11 AMP) Kind words spoken at the proper time can be worth much. “A
word fitly spoken and in due
season is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” (Proverbs
25:11 AMP) Encouragement comes in many forms. Accountability
and encouragement can go hand in hand. Opportunities for each are found every
day and can have great impact. “But instead warn (admonish, urge,
and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called Today, that none
of you may be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [by
the fraudulence, the stratagem, the trickery which the delusive glamor of his
sin may play on him].”
(Hebrews 3:13 AMP)
By performing these random acts of
kindness, we are not only building up other people, we are serving the Lord.
Jesus relates the story of His glorious return and the judgment of the sheep
and the goats. (See Matthew 25:31-46) Providing food, a drink, clothing or
shelter to someone in need is equal to giving these to Jesus. “And
the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one
of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for
Me.” (Matthew 25:40 AMP) So by encouraging each other we are obeying and
ministering to the Lord.
Leaving my appointment,
I approached another intersection with a four-way stop. Here I was able to pass
the same random act of kindness on to another vehicle. We had arrived at the
intersection at the same time. This time I was on the right and therefore had
the legal right of way. Yet I paused, nodded and allowed the truck turn left
into the lane in front of me. As I followed behind him, I wondered if that tiny
kind act had any impact on him. Was he late for an appointment or on a
lunch break and appreciating each moment? Regardless of his exact needs, I
asked the Lord to bring blessings to him that day. I drove on with another
smile, knowing that I too could be used in many little ways to bless others.
As you go about your day-to-day
activities, think of the little ways you can prefer others. Even in the tiniest
of actions, we can be a part of blessings that have far greater impact than we
realize.
No comments:
Post a Comment