Today I received a letter from a couple who last year at this time lost a son in Iraq. The letter told of how much my being there with them in their time of uncertainty over his initial MIA staus, then when he was found dead, had meant to the family. Enclosed was also a substantial monetary gift they wanted me to have. They wrote, "The time you spent reaching out to us, caring for us, just being there for our family, meant more to us than you know. We will never forget you."
Sadly, I had forgotten them in the past year. I recalled the night when, while I was the weekend hospital/emergency pastor, I had responded to a call to visit the house of a new couple in the church, whose son was missing in action in Iraq. I spent a couple of hours with the family, who consisted of the mom, dad, and two sisters, one of which was married with two kids in our children's ministry. As I saw the fear and grief they had, I felt compelled to keep going by their house that weekend, and on into the next week, until the word came that the son's body had been found.
I had helped in some minor details of the funeral, and had been invited to ride in the motorcyle escort of the funeral, which was a great honor. I kept in touch with the family only occasionally over the later months, then it gradually faded from my memory- until today.
Amazing what small gestures and acts of kindness can actually mean in someone else's life. What I had saw as just doing my duty, had in reality made a huge impact on this family in their time of pain. One of my daughters told me, "I guess you never know how far one nice thing can go for somebody." So true.
I remember being on the receiving end myself once, as an 8th grader 30+ years ago. I had been lumped in with a bullying bunch of boys that year, with none of my friends in classes, lunch, PE, etc. It was the worst year of my life, to this day. Constant cruelty, humiliation, pain, at the hands of these punks- I was the easy target, being the smallest in the class that year.
One day, sitting alone at lunch (as usual), Laurel Jackson, one of the popular girls in the 8th grade, left her table, came and sat with me. I don't remember all she said, but I recall this: "You're different than the other guys. I like that about you. Don't worry about them, they're all jerks. I like you just the way you are." That simple act of kindness, those simple words, spoken by that beautiful little blond, changed the course of that year for me- and I guess changed my life. I'm 44 years old, and I still recall them, and recall every detail of that moment, to this day. And I will be forever grateful.
I've heard a phrase- "Practice random acts of kindness." That's a great rule to live by. In fact, that's being the hands and feet and words of Jesus to people, as I heard a guy say once. Something our world needs more of.
Rob