Only a Little Time

Something happened yesterday that convicted my heart and got me to thinking and doing some self evaluation.

I was doing some shopping at Wal Mart with DD yesterday Nothing special, just buying a few groceries and enjoying some good conversation.

We were in the aisle that had tomato sauce and paste. Canned tomatoes that were sliced, diced and stewed. Spaghetti sauce, noodles, etc...

I noticed a man standing in front of the tomato sauce and paste and I could tell he had a very frustrated look on his face. I also needed tomato sauce and so as I got closer to him, I could hear him mumbling under his breath about, "...this isn't spaghetti sauce!!".

It was easy to tell he was in a hurry and most certainly out of his comfort zone.
I asked him if he needed some help and he quickly told me he needed some spaghetti sauce, but that he couldn't find it. I showed him that it was at the opposite end of aisle. He thanked me, and went to the other end.

I found my tomato sauce and while I was putting it in the buggy, I noticed he was getting frustrated all over again. He turned to me and DD and asked which one of these (pointing to the sauces) was spaghetti sauce. DD showed him that from "here to here" was spaghetti sauce and that it just depended on what kind he wanted.

"I just need the kind with the screw on lid."

DD showed him the many different types with screw on lids. He grabbed up a jar, held it out and asked if that was a screw on lid. We told him yes, he thanked us and was quickly on his way.

This entire event probably took less than 3 minutes yet made a positive difference in this man's day and I felt blessed to be able to help him.

Then I felt the Holy Spirit begin to stir inside me, asking me how many times I'd totally ignored the chance to help someone around me.

You know what I'm talking about..we get in such a hurry, or we are so wrapped up in what we need to get done, that we are totally oblivious to the people around us.
How long does it take to do a kindness for someone we don't even know?

How long does it take to make a positive, Christ-like difference in someone's day?

I will be transparent with you and tell you that I've tried to justify not helping someone because "I'm already behind! Besides, they'd ask if they needed help." Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn't. Fact is, if I notice they need help, they shouldn't have to ask for it.

"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" Galatians 5:22-23 NLT

If the Holy Spirit is in me then kindness should be a by-product of that....not even something that needs to be thought out before acted upon.

Yes, it's true that we are all busy, but when we get so busy that we can't help out another person, then we obviously have our priorities in the wrong place.

"Instead, be kind to each other....." Ephesians 4:32 NLT

I can't imagine, nor do I read in God's Word anywhere, that Jesus was too busy to notice His fellow man. He was an encourager to people He didn't even know.

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had." Philippians 2:5 NLT

So, I've decided that part of my prayers are going to be that I would be more aware of the people around me. Let's make sure that we're not so behind or in such a hurry that we feel we don't have the time to show someone Jesus.