Corona Devo 3181

The other night my husband and I were across town for soccer practice with our daughter, but we were able to squeeze in a supper with my dad while she was playing.  The dinner was delicious and time with family—priceless. Thanks, Dad.

And as we readied-to-go, I asked the server if she might pack up some (more) of the bread that they had given our table during our meal, because it was crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, and our daughter loves bread!  

I told the server that our daughter was at practice, and that I thought she would love a little bread when she finished and we picked her up.  She smiled and said no problem as she disappeared into the kitchen.

When she reappeared she had a small bag that she told us contained a loaf of their (amazing) bread and also some tomato bisque soup because “she’ll probably be starving when she’s done with practice”, the server told me kindly.  

Have you ever heard of something so thoughtful?  So kind?  So in-tune with how to bless someone else at a specific moment?  (And—do you have you any idea how starving for good and real food a student-athlete is after an hour and a half practice?)

Our daughter loved the tomato soup and the crusty bread to go with it. 

Loved.  

Soup in the car is hard to manage, but she made it look easy, and it disappeared quickly. And oh, how our daughter enjoyed both the bread and the bisque.

How very, very kind of our server to pack up the bread and to throw in the soup!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

~Galatians 5:22-23

We were blessed that our server had no law on her kindness.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.  ~Hebrews 13:16

~~

One of my (non-driving) friends at our local nursing home said that he has become involved with a church in a nearby town.  A man named Chris comes and picks up my friend for Sunday morning church service, and then drops him back off afterwards.  

And (he said), Chris also picks him up (and brings him home) to and from a weekly men’s Bible study at the church.

And every other Sunday they have a potluck at the church and Chris picks him up (and takes him home) for those potlucks too.

Don’t you just love Chris!?   

I do, and I’ve never even met him.  But I sure love his heart, it seems (to me) to be just like the heart of Jesus.

• “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. (35) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, (36) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  (37) “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? (38) When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? (39) When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  (40) “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  ~Matthew 25:34-40

• Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.  ~Ephesians 4:32

~~

When our son plays soccer and a ball takes a bad bounce off of someone's foot (or head), or their "move" doesn't work out as smoothly as they had planned--and they get tripped up or lose possession of the ball, I've noticed that he shouts out one word that seems to take the sting out of the miss/mistake/error/loss: He says, "Unlucky!"

That one word takes the pressure off. Removes the onus. And lets a teammate know that they are a teammate. And they belong to a team, which means that they are there for one another, even when mistakes happen, and they happen to all of us.

We don't need to criticize every one every time.

We don't need to think that we would have had a better/more successful outcome than another.

What if the next time a friend/family member/co-worker/teammate/boss/stranger makes a mistake...we simply looked them in the eye, smiled, and said, "Unlucky".

• When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.  ~Proverbs 31:26

• Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.  ~Proverbs 16:24

~~~

It is so nice when people are nice.

It feels kind to be kind.  

And we represent and reflect Jesus when we are kind to others.

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.  ~Romans 12:10

~~~

What if like our server, we looked for ways to be kind to others in God's Name today? That might look like tomato bisque in a to-go container.

What if like Chris, we saw someone with limits and we took away their limitations by living out Chist's love?

What if like our son on the field, our words could take the pressure off of someone, instead of putting-it-on?

~~~

Who can we be kind to today?

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, [a]hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  ~Luke 6:35

Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.  ~Proverbs 11:17 

“Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty."  ~Job 6:14

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.  ~Matthew 7:12

Who can we be kind to today?

Blessings,

sarah 

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com