Sure are some scary times we live in.
Things weren't this bad back in my day.
This world is so hateful, hopeless, etc.
This world needs Jesus (truth, we all do)
How many times have you heard a statement like that? How many times have you said a statement like that?
More importantly, have you tried to change it as many times as you've allowed those thoughts to cross your mind, or come out of your mouth?
For several months now I've had this burning desire in my heart to "change the world." When you think of a statement like that, it sounds so broad. Overwhelmingly broad. You immediately start to picture the round blue and green earth as it is pictured in a textbook, and then picture yourself and the first thought is "impossible."
I think that's why so many people have just given up, and marked it off as a hopeless too-far-gone world because their vision of changing it is too big of a mountain to climb.
I say otherwise.
A fire starts with a simple spark.
How many times have you been approaching a door with someone in front of you, they walk through It and just let it go... Almost shutting in your face? Leaves you with kind of a bitter taste in your mouth doesn't it?
How many times has someone's hateful, opinionated post offended you?
How many times has someone hurt you because they went and talked about you behind your back?
How many times have you been in heavy traffic, needed to merge over and no one will let you?
Lets talk about the other side of things.
How many times has someone's encouraging message or phone call completely turned your day around?
How many times has someone's little Facebook post encouraged you or given you a more positive perspective on things?
How many times has a simple unexpected random act of kindness made your heart so overwhelmingly full that you wanted to pass it on?
When I was 15 years old working at good ol Chick fil a something really awesome happened and I've never since forgotten it. I was working the drive thru window and a little old lady came through and paid for her order. Before leaving she said how much is the person's behind me? And before I could answer the question she said "you know what, it doesn't matter, here." She handed me her card, paid for their order, and drove off. She didn't wait to get credit or even a thank you, she just went out of her way to make someone else's day.
What that lady doesn't know is that she sparked a chain reaction of love. Her spark lit a fire and it carried on 8 cars back. Seeing how something so simple made people's faces light up so bright was an experience ill never forget. So I started doing it. I didn't even get my food paid for, but just witnessing it happen and seeing the reactions was amazing enough to light a fire in me. Makes you wonder How many of those people who got their food paid for have continued to do it too.
On my way to work in the mornings I take the toll road because It gets me there faster. I try to pay for the car behind me every time I have the extra change with me. I love looking in my rear view and seeing it start a chain reaction. I've been that person many times who thought I had the $ and had to pay an 11 dollar fine for a $0.70 cent toll because I really had forgotten my wallet when going through the full service line... Or having a panic attack scrounging for extra change when there's people laying on the horn behind you. Worse case scenario the person behind you really didn't need it... Well, maybe the person behind them did. Or maybe they didn't need the $0.70 but they had a crazy bad morning and your act of kindness was enough to tell them without saying it that everything is going to be alright. Nothing negative could come from it. What are you going to do with $0.70 extra cents? Try it.
I'm not telling you all of that to pat myself on the back or receive any kind of credit. I'm saying it because its SO simple. Don't have $10 extra dollars to pay for someone's food? Pay their $0.70 toll.
Make a phone call or send a text message and encourage someone today. It will cost you nothing but it will mean everything to the person on the other end. Pastor Josh spoke this last Sunday on the importance of words: how they can break someone or make someone. He challenged our church to pick 1 person a day for 1 week and speak life to them. When I heard him say that I thought "this is awesome." Awesome is an understatement. I can't even begin to describe how overwhelmed with love I've felt this week from the encouragement I've received. Do it. Once a day. Every day.
Never miss an opportunity to hold the door. It takes 2 extra seconds of your time. It may not "make their day" but it will certainly not hurt it (Like the alternative would do)
Let people over in front of you. Lets be real, if traffic is heavy they're not going to get anywhere any faster than you are by just being 1 car in front of you. What happens when you don't anyway? They're probably going to cut you off because they're bitter that you didn't let them over... Which then is going to make you bitter too. Sounds kinda ridiculous when you think about it doesn't it? Do it. All the time. Save the bitterness. It's not worth it.
Your acts of kindness may not come with a thank you, and it certainly probably wont come with a guarantee that it'll be returned back to you. But that's alright, it doesn't need to be.
The world isn't going to change by a bunch of humans sitting around talking about how bad it is. It's going to change when we start creating sparks and lighting fires. Start somewhere.
Be the change you want to see.
Xoxo
Meg
