Kindness

I was in Target yesterday waiting in line to checkout. One of the lines had a hold-up and the people in it had been waiting for some time, seeing people in all other lines get checked out while they waited. A man from the line beside it who was about to get his turn stepped back and offered the first lady in the held-up line to go in front of him. The lady politely said "oh no, that's ok" and continued to wait.

I had two thoughts: one- the impact of small kindnesses and two- our often inability to allow someone to be thoughtful and help us.

I didn't know the man, but he seemed to have light in his eyes. Whatever the case, he was being Jesus to that lady. It was such a small thing, 3 minutes extra for him in line if she went in front, and yet it stuck out to me as remarkable that we don't choose to be Jesus to other people more often. I see people who look lost on the streets or in a store and I hardly think to ask if they want help when I'm sure I could help them. I think that there are so many small kindnesses that we choose not to interject ourselves into others' lives and we lose out on small joys that could make a lifetime for us and other people. I wonder why we aren't more focused on storing up treasures in Heaven and I think we do that by the small kindnesses.

Maybe it's because our treasure is often here on earth instead of in heaven that we're less inclined to put others before ourselves and more inclined to do whatever necessary to maximize our time, our own world, our own lives. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21).

My second thought points to the conservative nature of society. We hide things we don't want people to see- we hide the ugly parts about our lives, we hide the embarrassing moments that make us look less than perfect. And you know, we fool a few people, but the people that matter aren't fooled. But when I thought of that lady I wondered why we arent' more inclined to accept the small things people offer. We're programmed to immediately decline before we even think about what the person offers. We don't want to be needy or vulnerable I suppose by taking someone up on what they say. Although I will unfortunately say that often in our culture (yet not in this Target case) people offer things they really don't mean and then we find ourselves full circle on a possible reason why we so quickly tell people no. It's sad really, if only we stood back a moment and thought before we ask or seek help and do it because we're trying to be Jesus.