Random Acts of Kindness

On Thursday night we were the recipients of a random act of kindness. We went to get some ice cream after doing some grocery shopping. When we ordered we were told that our total was about $18.00. When we pulled up to pay she said that it was only $14.00. When we asked what the difference was we were told that the person in front of us had donated her change for us. We continued the pattern and donated ours to the person behind us. It was such a simple thing but it made me think about the command to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our daily life. I often fall into the habit of trying to think of how I can feed starving children, provide wells in foreign countries, or somehow make an impact globally. I forget that I need to serve people in my home neighborhood as well. I am blessed to live in an area where I do not see the effects of poverty around me every day, but that does not mean that there are not people who need help. Just because there is not a homeless family down the street does not mean that there is not a family at my daughter's school that could use some extra groceries or even just help cleaning up their yard. I want to make it my goal to see the need around me, and if it is not evident, to look a little deeper to find it. Jesus asks us to serve others all the time, even if I don't feel like I am making a difference. God knows the needs the needs that I can fill, and when I help someone in need I am actually helping Jesus.

Forgiveness

Lately I have been thinking a lot about forgiveness. Having recently reconciled with my husband after a 3 month separation, forgiveness has become a very important topic around my house. We are working through forgiving each other for the things that brought us to the brink of divorce as well as discovering where unforgiveness has tainted our relationships with God. Something that struck me was when it says in the Bible that God will forgive us as much as we forgive other people. I want God to forgive me for every sin that I commit, whether willingly or subconsciously. I don't want anything to jeopardize my relationship with God or the eternity that I have to look forward to worshipping Him in Heaven. Think about it, if God will pour out the same measure of forgiveness to us that we give to other people, shouldn't that motivate us to forgive others regardless of the seriousness of their crime?
This train of thought led me to remember the Amish community whom so willingly offered forgiveness to the man who entered their school and murdered some of their children a few years back. Not only did they verbally profess their forgiveness publicly, but they demonstrated it by taking care of his wife and children in their time of need. Now that is God honoring forgiveness! How do I incorporate that into my life?
An interesting fact to ponder; when Jesus told us that we are to forgive "seventy times seven", that number means to forgive 490 times in one 24 hour period, the same person, for the same offense. That is mind boggling to me. How can I forgive someone that many times in one day if they keep committing the same sin against me? Wouldn't I want God to forgive me in that way?
I am searching my heart for people that I am harboring unforgiveness against, and am surprised by what I am finding. I thought that I had forgiven everyone in my life, but on further soul searching I am finding that their are people that I am still bitter towards. I wonder if I will ever fully overcome that tendency to be angry and bitter to other people. The only way to do that is to go to God in prayer every time it comes to my attention that I am being unforgiving.
I think I am going to be spending a lot of time on my knees.