Be the Moment
I write here about Godspotting, recognizing His hand in our daily lives. There’s a reciprocal to this phenomenon: We may, through our acts, show God to someone else.
The statement is simple, but the concept holds tremendous power. Think of it: the choices we make in our daily routines stuff can result in someone becoming aware of the presence of God.
I remember the day, years ago, when I was immensely pregnant with my daughter. I had a doctor’s appointment, and on this day I discovered that I could no longer reach past my belly to tie my shoes. As I struggled to retrieve a pair of slip-ons from the closet, my own reflection in the mirror brought tears to my eyes. I knew that I was big because I was pregnant, that a beautiful new person was growing within me, that my body had been created to give life.
But I felt fat. Bloated. Huge. Feeling unlovely, and more than a little sorry for myself, I trudged off to my appointment.
I stopped at the gas station to fill the tank on my way to the doctor’s office. When I paid for my purchase, the station clerk, an older, immigrant man, said to me, “You have the most beautiful hands.”
I had bought gas from this man before and our transactions had always been civil; never before had he made any personal comment to me. Twenty-seven years later, his kind words still lighten my heart when I recall that moment and how his compliment lifted my spirits.
Purposeful acts of kindness make a difference.
I practice something my husband and I call “the checkstand ministry.” While waiting in line at the grocery store, I look for opportunities to demonstrate kindness. If the young mom ahead of us has a fussy toddler on her hip, a game of peek-a-boo may distract the child long enough for his harried mom to complete her transaction. Once a man came to the line and stood behind me, scowling and preoccupied. I smiled and said, “How are you today?” His frown evaporated as he returned my smile. “I’m fine,” he said. Sometimes the checker has dealt with an unpleasant customer ahead of me; it is a simple thing to comment on her graciousness while dealing with difficult people.
When Christ lives in us, we have the ability to show Him to others–to be the moment when they spot God.
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be
hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp
is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the
same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will
praise your heavenly Father.”
Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT)
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