Failing is apart of learning, becoming better and growing closer to the example of a Christian that we are called and instructed to be. These encounters that I was able to hear and observe the other day, helped me to better understand something. Care, compassion, and common courtesy do not have to, or need to, be big, huge and flashy. They do not deserve attention and they most certainly do not need to be publicized for people to be able to notice. People will notice the small, quiet, insignificant things. Christ tells us in Matthew 6:3-4,6, that in opposition to what the hypocrites do (the Pharisees), to do things in a quiet nature. Do not do things to where they can be openly seen, “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”. Our world is used to seeing things being done and openly praising them, although there may not be anything wrong with that and the one who is being ‘praised’ may not mind it, our Savior tells us that things done in “secret” will be rewarded! That older man did not make a spectacle of himself by taking the picture for those two ladies, nor did he when he struck up a conversation with the family behind him. He was simply being kind and aware of his surroundings. Kindness is not something often thought of being that life changing, but it is. It can change the attitude of a person, just by one kind act. It can change the life of a person through one kind act of selfless thinking. We are being bombarded with the mentality of ‘It’s all about you’ and ‘You should come first’, and that is quite simply not the doctrine of Christ. It is easy to write words on a page, and to ‘talk the talk’, but I know how difficult it is to physically act out the words of Christ. Saying and doing are two completely different things, and our laziness as humans often gets the best of us. Be different. Be submissive to the words of Christ. Be active in kindness, compassion and selflessness. Rise above the expectations that Satan puts in front of us.
Be Christ-like.