Fruit of the Spirit….Kindness
The frenzied weeks are upon us. It is count down to Christmas, ceaseless shopping, followed by wrapping, lines to visit Santa, lines at the pharmacy *achoo*, rushing to box gifts for shipping, further lines at the post office.
Like me, perhaps you are feeling Scrooge knocking on your back door? I feel overwhelmed every year. Might explain why I always come down with the sniffles in December, hummm.
In the midst of our rushing about, I would like to offer you a delightful story, which just might rekindle the Spirit of Christmas in your heart. It ignited mine!
My friend Beth has three children. This encounter took place earlier this week.
Beth: Tonight I took the kids down to Richie’s Diner because I was too tired to cook. When we asked for the bill, the waitress told me a secret friend had already taken care of it. I cannot even imagine who could have paid our bill. Except for a few acquaintances, I did not see anyone I knew.
What a great lesson for my children. Random acts of kindness. I told them now it is our turn to pay for someone’s meal. Someone we know or don’t know. I can’t wait for the right time to occur! I have been having a hard time getting in the Christmas spirit. That did the trick!
Kindness, more powerful than words.
Galatians 5:22 (New International Version)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Lord, today make me mindful to see opportunities to share the hope and kindness of Christ with a world in need. Let me be a spark of Christmas spirit in someone’s life. Amen
I would love to hear about random acts of kindness you have experienced!
Lynn, that is wonderful that your friend’s dinner was paid for. It is a great reminder that we should not always expect gifts at Christmas, but maybe look for opportunities to give.
Hm – random acts of kindness. Well, maybe I can be a lot more patient in traffic driving to and from work?
Lynn this is awesome, and Ilove to do things like that. Yesterday we had a “Happy Birthday Jesus” party. I wish I could say it was all perfect, but leading up to it was fighting, me not having eggs and having to go out in pouring rain, it seemed like everything was working against me.
But we still had the party and a peace came over us while hubby read the Advent book. It is what memories are made of.
Blessings.
As many of you know my husband works at the Post Office…very stressful this time of year. I don’t know about your Post Office but at ours we have a Postal Store…it has many things besides stamps….and some stuffed animals. One day a gentleman was getting stamps and he also bought a $20 bear. He told my husband to give it to the fourth child that comes in. My husband did…and it just so happened that the little boy that received that bear was just the one that needed it!!!!! Our God is awesome.
That’s so neat, awesome!
Love, kindness… such beautiful things. All God’s idea! Praying for my own opportunities!
This is so touching! I love hearing about stuff like this. Thanks for sharing it!
Lynn, this is wonderful. I love how the Lord opens opportunities for such acts of kindness and I always pay that the Lord will use it to bless that person and bring them to a relationship with Him. Many times He has blessed us through perfect strangers, or through people we only vaguely knew. What an awesome God, who never lets any of His children remain islolated for long.
Your friend’s story sounds like it belongs in a book. Unbelievable!
Random acts of kindness I’ve experienced? Well, strangers kept smiling at me today as I wheeled my grocery cart around a very large and unfamiliar store. Those smiles took the stress off my day and helped me to slowwww dowwwwn. What a difference a simple smile makes!
I’ll try to remember to smile the next time I see someone else out of control amid the Christmas crush.
Hey, I hope your sniffles are on their way out! Big hugs, e-Mom