The gift of a Coke

When is the last time a total stranger out of the blue offered to buy you a coke? When have you been visiting another city, realized you were a couple bucks short for a purchase and the store clerk said simply, “bring it next time”? Have you ever gone to a government building to find it closed only to have the cleaning lady let you in to see if you could get help?
These are all small blessings and we seem to be receiving them in abundance during this trip. Not only have we been blessed, but these small acts seem to touch my heart in a deeper way than they normally would.

For the person on the giving side, these small acts of kindness are not necessarily a sacrifice on their part. In fact, I would guess that within the hour the act has been forgotten by them. But for me, it goes deeper. I feel called to bless them and pray for them and ask God to repay their kindness ten or one hundred fold. In fact, I sometimes pray for them for days or weeks.

It seems as though God has put us on the heart of the giver so that He can then put the giver on our hearts. The children seem to notice it too. Regularly one will simply bring up a person in prayer that has blessed us from a week or two ago.

It makes me wonder if the reverse has been true in my life. There have been times when I have suddenly felt a need to do an act of kindness to a total stranger, for no apparent reason. Right now, I can’t recall one person or event, but I wonder if the receiver is touched in a way that I was not. Did God then put me on their heart to pray for?
It is more blessed to give than receive.
I am beginning to understand that God has a way of putting His hand on one of us so we think we are helping another….but truly He is helping the one He touches and the one who is touched by the one He touches..