Random Kindness
Mark Mittleburg is a name unknown to most of us. He’s a Christian writer who helps people learn to share their faith. One day he ducked into a shop to buy flowers for his wife. As he stood in the queue, an elderly lady ahead of him noticed the bouquet.
“Is it your wife’s birthday?” she asked.
“No” Mark said. “I just wanted to surprise her.”
The woman sighed. “My late husband used to do that for me” she said wistfully. “It was his way of saying ‘I love you.’ But that was many years ago.” The woman paid for her few groceries and left. Mark knew what he had to do. As soon as his items were paid for, he took off to find the woman.
“Here” he said, handing her the flowers. “Your husband isn’t here to do this, so I’d like to give you these.”
The woman was so moved by the gesture that she invited Mark to share a cup of tea with her. Around the cuppa she brought out her fading photos of herself and her husband in younger years. Her spirits were lifted as she reminisced.
They exchanged addresses and phone numbers, but Mark lost contact with her. Then ten years later Mark received a Christmas parcel of antique toys, of little value in their day but now a collector’s prize. The woman had never forgotten that act of unexpected kindness. And now, as her life was coming toward its end, she wanted again to say ‘thank you.’
Random acts of kindness won’t save the world, but they open up hearts to hear what we have to say. The world is not a kind place today but you and I can make a difference – both here and for eternity.
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