Since January I have experienced unusual expressions of kindness from strangers. Don’t misunderstand, I experience kindnesses all the time. Recently when Thomas and Bill had hospital stays, from the nurses to the cleaning administrators, we experienced kindness. But the kindness I am referring to was “not” expected and very out of the blue. Another peculiar incident happened just this week…
I was headed out of town with our daughter Collins and pulled off the interstate to go to a quick shop for a Sprite. I walked in, picked up a Sprite and a pack of gum and walked up to the counter. The lady in front of me put her stuff down and walked away to get something else. A man was waiting to check out as well.
The lady returned and gave me a look that said, “Are you cutting in front of me?” I had put my stuff on the counter in order to respond to a text I had received while waiting to check out. :o) It was not at all my intent to cut in front of her, but after the look I made sure she knew that I knew she was next and did it with a smile!
What happened next was so unusual. The man standing with her was waiting to check out so I said, “Please go ahead.” He then stepped up to pay and also bought my drink and gum! I looked at him and said, “Wow! Thank you. You didn’t have to do that!” His response was, “I really don’t know why I did it. Something just told me to do it!”….LOL…
I would like to think once again that it was God working through a stranger just like he did a month ago at Chick-fil-A. Another “hug me!” from God. I know for sure it was God at Chick-fil-A and I am pretty sure it was God through that stranger. I had the money to pay but somehow it was so out of the blue…so very, very unexpected. Just the fact that he turned and said he really didn’t know why he did it, but something told him to has God written all over it. Amen?!
I am now asking God if there is some act of kindness He would like me to do for a complete stranger that would “HUG and Encourage” someone like I was hugged and encouraged recently and a month ago at Chick-fil-A.
I am not at all sure what is going on…but I can honestly say that in my entire life only one other time other than recently has a complete stranger ever done something like that for me. Being 53 and having this happen twice in the last two months is AWESOME AND ENCOURAGING.
Point of post…Don’t ever, ever underestimate an act of kindness to a stranger.
It can make their day. You could encourage someone today and have that “unexpected” moment linger in their hearts long after the kindness was actually extended. It is contagious….gonna help a stranger today. Asking God to show me who!
“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:1-2).
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12).
“No matter how little you have, you can always give some of it away.” ~Catherine Marshall