Any act of kindness is never small

There's a tube of medicated Chapstick sitting on the nightstand beside my bed. It's been there for the past four months, and it's there to remind me of an act of kindness, one I received when I needed it most.

I had just been wheeled into my room, still groggy from anesthesia. For the past few hours, I'd been in the recovery room sleeping. It takes me a long time to wake up after surgery. The nurses had constantly come to rouse me and each time they did, I'd wake for a few minutes and then fall immediately back asleep. This cycle continued until they were able to sit me upright and have me remain conscious for more than a few minutes. My family was already in the room anticipating my arrival.

Things are still fuzzy in my mind about that day, but I do remember several family members surrounding me. Speaking was difficult because my throat was so dry. After a few sips of water, I finally found my voice. I answered the usual caring questions, "how are you feeling?" or "do you need anything?" It was nice to see familiar faces and to know they loved me enough to come. I must have dozed in between questions because one minute the room was full of people and the next minute it was almost empty. But there is one thing I remember vividly.

My lips were so dry and parched. I kept trying to lick them to moisten them but it wasn't working. I remember making a comment about how dry my lips were and that's when my daughter in law said she had a Chapstick that might help. She pulled it out of her purse and gave it to me. I'll never forget that small act of kindness. The medicated Chapstick felt so soothing as I applied it to my lips. Within just a few seconds, I felt revived. She didn't realize it at the time and neither did I, but that small act of kindness taught me so much.

I was able to go home from the hospital a day later. When we arrived, my husband helped arrange all of the bandages and medical supplies on the bathroom counter so I could reach them easily. As we unpacked my overnight bag, we tossed the clothes into the washer and put away the other items. Deep in the inside pocket of my bag was the little tube of Chapstick. I took it out and held it in my hands. That little tube held such great importance to me. Not only had the medicated wax soothed my cracked and parched lips, but it had soothed my soul as well. I had needed the Chapstick and my daughter in law had given it to me freely. She had blessed me and I don't even think she realized how much that unselfish act had touched my heart.

One of Aesop's famous sayings is " no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." That saying is so very true. In my case, the simple act of my daughter in law being willing to part with her tube of Chapstick spoke volumes to me. It meant that she had seen my need and cared enough to help meet it. She had put her love into action. She had shown me kindness. Her kindness was intentional.

That little tube of Chapstick will stay on my nightstand for a long time. It's there to remind me to be kind to others...to be intentional in showing love...to never forget kindnesses done to me. "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." Yes, it is true. She didn't have to give me her new Chapstick. She could have kept quiet and let me struggle with parched, dry lips...but she didn't. She chose to sacrifice. She chose to love. You may be thinking that I'm making a big deal out of nothing but to me, it was a really BIG deal.

When we see a need and help to meet it, we show the love of Christ. A good example is found in the book of Luke. The story of the good Samaritan shows how love was put into action in a Christlike manner. In the story, the Samaritan went out of his way to go above and beyond the call of duty...he not only cleaned and bandaged the man's wounds, but put him up in an inn until he could come back through town and check on him. He paid the innkeeper for the man's lodging and also paid him for taking care of the man while he was away.

That gift of a soothing balm was a small act of kindness, one that could have been easily overlooked by many. I choose to be reminded of it daily and that's why I keep the Chapstick right beside my bed. It's the first thing I see when I wake up each morning and it reminds me to always make my words and my actions intentional. Kindness and love go hand in hand. Don't ever think that one small gesture of kindness is too small to share. You never know how it may impact someone's life for years to come.

Look for ways to show love by being kind. Random acts of kindness are the most fun for me. I love looking for little ways to bless others. There are many ideas on the internet if you need help planning ways to help others. Here's one: http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/kindness-ideas
If you aren't quite ready to step out and show kindness to others, take a day to just record every kind deed done to you in one day. You'll be surprised by the number of small kindnesses that come your way. Perhaps someone will hold open a door for you or send you an encouraging email...if you look, you'll find them! As we become kindness seekers, we'll also become kindness sharers. Kindness is contagious. Try it and you'll see!

©bonnie annis all rights reserved

The Parable of the Good Samaritan 
²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’^[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]”
²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ 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. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii^[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37 New International Version