Kindness

The other day I found myself behind schedule.

When it came time for lunch I opted to go to the corner store for something quick.

I was in hurry but my plans changed when I arrived.

As I walked from my car to the store entrance I glanced over at the gas pumps.

Something caught my eye.

I saw an older lady standing at the one of the pumps.

She had the pump handle in one hand and her credit card in the other.

She also had a look of confusion on her face.

I walked over to her and asked if she needed help.

She said she needed to put gas in her car but was not at all sure how to go about it.

I offered my help and she accepted.

I explained everything I did along the way.

Once her car had been filled I showed her how to print her receipt.

She thanked me and told me something I could never have expected.

She told me that her husband had recently passed away.

She then stated that he always put gas in the car.

This was the first time she needed to put gas in the car since he passed.

She then thanked me for showing her how it was done.

I believe that this is just one of many firsts for her as she continues her journey without him.

Please understand that I am not posting this for my sake.

It occurred to me that in today’s hectic and fast paced world it is quite easy to overlook others.

Sometimes people need help and do not ask for it.

We must not become so preoccupied with ourselves that we fail to notice.

As I paid the store clerk for my purchase, he thanked me for helping her as well.

It turns out that he was keeping a watchful eye on me as I approached her.

I was grateful for that as well.

It reminded me that God is looking out for her in other ways.

I thought of Paul’s words when he found himself shipwrecked.

Acts 28:2 (NET) -The local inhabitants showed us extraordinary kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain and was cold.

There is always time for an act of kindness

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 28, 2017.

I’ll be back here on Friday, August 4, 2017

The Good Delivery Driver

Luke 27:33-34 (NIV) - But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.

I read a short article in the news the other day that moved me.

In one of the largest cities in America, someone ordered pizza online.

There was a place on the online order form for special instructions.

The customer left two instructions.

The first was for the restaurant to have the pizza delivered by their “cutest guy.”

That is not what caught my eye.

The second instruction was, “Tell me I am pretty.”

The restaurant prepared the order and gave it to one of their delivery drivers.

The driver assumed that the order was placed by some college girls and the instructions were meant to be a joke.

When he arrived at the address, he was surprised by what he found.

A young lady opened the door for him.

He noticed that the room had been decorated for a birthday party.

He also noticed that there were no guests.

The young lady told the driver she had planned her own party and sent out invitations.

No one came.

She offered the driver a piece of cake which he accepted.

They talked while the driver ate his cake.

Once he finished his cake he accepted the money for the pizza.

Before leaving, he remembered the special instructions.

He gave the young lady a hug and told her that she was pretty.

As I stated before, this story moved me.

Here was a young lady living in a large city.

Yet she felt completely alone, unwanted and unloved.

I am so glad the driver did something to help her feel better.

In scripture, the Good Samaritan came across a man who was set upon by robbers and beaten.

Although others passed the man by, the Samaritan saw his physical wounds and rendered assistance.

When others are injured, we are required to reach out.

This is harder to do with emotional wounds because they are so much harder to detect.

We may not even realize how much someone is hurting until they cry out for help.

Let us not pass them by.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com