“And be ye kind one to another…” (Ephesians 4:32 KJV)
Yesterday, after playing basketball, okay after shooting and rebounding with one of my adult sons at the school ground behind our house, something that took place because I asked if he wanted to shoot hoops after he finished three hours of studying his craft and enhancing his career related talents. He was kind and agreed to go with me, a 72-year young man. As we were about to leave, my wife asked could she go to so she could jump rope and exercise while we were playing. My son was okay with it, another act of kindness. More kindness was shown when he asked, “How many lawn chairs would be required?” We said one, but two would have worked better. We had not played together for years ,and it made me think back to the days when I worked an hour outside the city, and he attended high school in the same city. He had chosen to attend school there to play on a varsity basketball team where he would be coached by an ex-Indiana All-Star who was also a former player with the Indiana Hoosiers and the LA Lakers. In those days of commuting to work and school, on heavy snow days we would have to stay at a local hotel. We took advantage of the evening, before eating and turning in, to play basketball at a local YMCA. That was eighteen years ago. And here we are doing the same thing yesterday. He kindly put up with chasing my missed shots. But to my credit, I did not miss them all.
When we finished, we walked to the car. My age was speaking, no, it was complaining, through every muscle in my body. We got in the car and headed home. When I got to the exit of the school yard I turned east as opposed to west. My wife, asked, “Where are you going?” I jokingly said, “I guess I am heading back to church.” Seriously, I needed to crawl to the altar. However, actually I knew I was heading to the nearest fast food, hamburger restaurant to get a diet, ice cold cherry coke. I kindly asked my wife and son if they wanted anything. My son got a Frozen Coke drink and my wife opted to wait until we got home. In front of us was a shiny, back Cadillac with a sticker on the window that said, “Queen Brenda.” After she paid for her order, so we thought, she drove to the next window to pick it up. When we get to the pay window, the customer service person confirms our order and informs us that the lady in front of us already paid for our order. I could not capture every thought and said, “We should have ordered some double burger meals.” And then I said, “I should have ordered our breakfast meals in advance.” Of course I was joking. Brenda did not know us. It was a random act of kindness. I blew the horn, and we waved our hands, expressing thanks to the lady that had been kind to people she did not even know and who never expected to be the benefactor of her generosity. I said, “Thank Queen Brenda.” My son, showing God-consciousness, said, “It was not Brenda! It was nothing but God.” He was exactly right. I surmised that we really did go to church right in the drive thru line! (God’s “classrooms” are everywhere.)
Life is full of true stories, timely lessons, and the love of God revealed in the acts of others. We just need to recognize them. Well all these words you have read lead to this challenge for you. Being a child of God, being a disciple of Christ, make it a point to show at least one random act of kindness today toward an unsuspecting soul. Let your light shine as you emulate the Light of the World, all the time thinking of His kindness. Bless someone and of course what I am about to say lastly will occur. Lastly, “Be blessed.”
“But—when God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:4-5 NLT)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King