It was a peaceful morning sipping our coffee on the brick porch at our Airbnb. In a few hours the day would turn unbearably hot, so we were enjoying the great weather now and chatting amongst ourselves on the oversized rockers.
“Good morning!” My friend said happily to an older woman walking her dog past us.
The woman looked up with a smile.
“Hi, good morning!” “Getting my walk in before I head to work!”
We told her to have a good day as she kept walking.
Our conversation started back up, beginning to make plans for the day. After finishing my coffee, I went back inside to get ready.
A half hour later, my friends came inside too, carrying a box of donuts.
“That woman we saw bought us these on her way back!”
“How sweet” I thought to myself. “There are still good people in this world!”
The truth is, sometimes it’s hard to see the good. Our minds are fed the worst things happening in the world every day. On top of world events, throw in your own troubles.
A recipe for disaster.
This woman and her simple gesture reminded me that people are STILL neighborly.
Have we become so absorbed by our own pain, troubles & anxiety about the world that we’ve forgotten about others?
I suppose this woman could’ve just waved and gone on with her day. She had to go to work so we could’ve been an inconvenience for her. Besides, we never asked her to get us donuts.
But she took the time!
No one should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Corinthians 10:24
When was the last time you went out of your way for someone?
In the Bible, Jesus sends the 12 Disciples to preach the kingdom of God. Upon their return from a very effective trip, Jesus wants to take them away to rest. But they are interrupted by a crowd of people wanting to be healed by Jesus.
Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” He replied, “You give them something to eat.” Luke 9:12-13
I don’t know about you, but If that was me after a long journey, I would’ve said. “Hold on, wait a minute! I thought we were going to rest?!”
I’ve read this miracle story SO many times – Jesus feeds the 5 thousand with 5 loaves and 2 fish, but somehow, I’ve missed the lesson.
Jesus says, “YOU give them something to eat.”
I look around at the mess of our nation and think, “If we could all pause long enough to see the people in front of us- We might willingly be disrupted so we can be neighborly.”
God meets the needs of this world through people- through you! What is something you can do this week to show kindness to a stranger or a friend?
And to the sweet lady walking her dog who bought us donuts – THANK YOU!
