This week I was the beneficiary of some little kindnesses that impacted me in such a big way I want to share.
Here’s the scene. We were ready to head home from Ohio after a family visit. The drive, with stops, is about 10 hours. We’ve each driven it by ourselves. In more recent years sharing the drive has proved a healthier choice. The problem this time was that Jerry was not feeling well. I felt cautiously optimistic that I could complete the drive home, but still had a few friends join me in prayer.
When packing the van, the hoyer lift always goes in first. I rolled it through the lobby to go out. I noticed a few business men waiting for someone in the lobby. I took the hoyer apart, loaded it into the van and came back in just as this group was leaving. One of the men stepped toward me ever so slightly and looked me right in the eyes and said, “you have a good day.” Odd though it may sound, that small greeting spoke deeply to me. It said he had acknowledged my responsibility and wanted to share a word of kindness with me. It felt like God was saying to me, “I see what you need to do today, I am watching and will be with you.”
The next load was the shower chair and a portable table. As I rolled these items out a different man stopped and asked if I needed any assistance. I’ve done this so long on my own that sometimes assistance is more of a hindrance than a help, and these were easy to pack. I thanked him but told him I had this ok. Again, another small kindness that spoke deeply to my soul on a day when I felt an enormous weight on my shoulders.
I doubt I could ever identify these two men, but I am grateful to them. Likely they will never know the impact their 3 to 5 second phrase made in me. But that’s ok. I know. And God used their kindness to encourage my heart and remind me that I was not doing this trip on my own.
I even had back-seat kindness on the trip – whenever Jerry woke up on he checked in to see if I was ok, and then went right back to sleep. I am glad I could minister to him by letting him rest, and we made it home safely.
I came home grateful, and reminded that it often is the little expressions of kindness and grace we share with someone that matter. We may not ever know if, or how, our words or actions mattered. But Proverbs 3:27 reminds us to do good to others when we have the ability to do so (my paraphrase).
