The Random Acts Project: Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus teaches about salt and light

How it all started

It was a cold December morning in Chicago. Air temperature 18 degrees. Wind chill zero degrees. I was travelling North on IL 53 just South of Palatine Rd. It was 9:30am.

I was in the left lane as I made the slow curve around Arlington Race Course when I saw a car pulled off on the right shoulder, hazard lights flashing, the left rear tire was flat. As I blew past I noticed exhaust from the tailpipe - the engine was running - and the silhouette of a woman in the drivers seat. There was no way that I could get over three lanes to stop and help, so I continued on.

This is nothing new - it happens every day. I see people broken down everywhere I go. I tried to make myself feel better by reasoning that she has already called someone, and that help is surely on its way. But the Spirit wouldn't let me go, not this time. The weight on my heart was too much to ignore.

I had heard a message not too long before this, and in the message was a quote from Dr. Edward Everett Hale which said,

"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything; but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."

I am an industrial equipment mechanic by trade. Although I don't do a lot of automotive repairs, I am fully capable of changing a flat tire. I can do this. So, why am I refusing, in my mind, to help this person in need? I decided in that moment to change my course and do the one thing that I can do.

I managed to get over and take the next off-ramp. I took a few back roads and made my way back to the highway. It was 15 minutes before I saw the car again, hazards still flashing. I pulled in behind the car, threw on my insulated cover-alls, and approached the driver.

I startled her when I knocked on her window. She wasn't expecting anyone. She was talking to her mother on her cell phone, and she was crying.

She had been sitting there for two-and-a-half hours, and no one had stopped. She had called for roadside assistance and was promised a tow truck by 12:00 noon - another two hours from now.

It was wicked cold outside, so I told her to stay in the car while I put on her spare. I don't think that I ever changed a tire as fast as I did that day.

She was ready to go in no time. She thanked me and then handed me her phone. Her mom was still on the line. Her mom couldn't believe that there was still someone in the world that would stop and help, purely as a random act of kindness. I told her that I had to stop, because I could.

Jesus said that we are to be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. Salt brings out the best flavor in everything that it touches, and at the same time, acts as a preservative to keep things from spoiling. Light takes away the darkness. We turn on a light so that we can see. And, in the same way, these random acts of kindness should shine out for all to see, so that everyone will give praise to our Heavenly Father.

How many people drove past that young woman? Three lanes of highway traveling at 55 miles an hour for two-and-a-half hours - it was tens of thousands. How many were Christians? How many, just like me, convinced themselves that there wasn't anything that they could do, or that help was on its way? I'm not saying that there is something that we can do in every situation, but if we can do something, than we should do something.

Since this incident back in December 2009, I have made it a point to be more aware of my surroundings, of people in need, of lives that I can touch and give glory to our Heavenly Father.
My challenge to you is to do the same. As Dr. Hale said, I can't do everything, but I can do something. And, I will not refuse to do something that I can do." So, find something that you can do and do it. It may be just a smile and a hello, or an offer to help carry a package. We are so pre-programmed to ignore and avoid getting involved that just simply acknowledging a person is all that they are looking for. Whatever it may be, just one simple act of kindness, might be the first of a thousand steps that will lead a person to Christ. Let Christ's light shine through your action and see what happens from there. And just as easily as it may be the first step, it might also be the last... and, a soul is saved.

If you do touch a life in some way, please let me know.

Showing posts with label Matthew 5:13-16. Show all posts

Friday, December 18, 2009

Day Three

Day three was uneventful. No one crossed my path. I hope this is not the norm. Although, I was talking to my daughter, Jamie, and she was telling me of her experience in offering kindness.

Jamie is a naturally caring and giving soul. Helping others comes second nature to her.

While at work at the college bookstore, Jamie was given the opportunity to show her kindness in an extraordinary way. A foreign student approached Jamie, and in his broken English, asked to have his homework faxed to his instructor. He paid for the fax while Jamie went to the back room to send it. After a couple of attempts, she realized that the number the student had given her was not a fax number at all.

She returned to the counter to find that the student had left. Without hesitating, Jamie looked up the instructor in the directory, and called her. The instructor was amazed that Jamie would go through that much effort, and told her that had she not done this, the student would have lost an entire letter grade. She gave Jamie the correct fax number and the homework was sent.

The amazing part of this story came when she mentioned it to one of her coworkers. They too, were shocked that she went through that much trouble. One of her coworkers said that he would have thrown it in the trash, if it was up to him. They saw first hand what kindness looks like.

Jamie let Christ's light shine through, and made an impression on several people. The ironic part is that the person she helped is the only one that didn't see it. He will probably never know what Jamie did for him, but the instructor and her coworkers do.

Christ's light shines for all the world to see.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Day Two

I'm starting to think that I might be the world's first Roadside Assistance Ministry. You guessed it, another flat tire.

I had gone through the entire workday without really coming in contact with anyone. I was beginning to wonder if I would when, on my way home from my last job, I came across a guy in a Dodge minivan. His left front tire was flat, and he was stuck in the middle of an intersection.

I swung around and pulled in behind him. I turned on my flashers.

Now, this guy was a big, construction worker, type of guy. As I approached, I saw him throwing his leather tool bags from the back cargo area, to the back seat. He was cranking down the spare tire when I asked him if I could help. He turned to look at me and said, "I got it."

Lesson #2 - Some people don't want my help, or at least, don't want to admit that they need my help. For this guy, it was his male pride - no guy likes to admit that they need help. I realize that he was fully capable of changing a tire, but my help could get him on his way a little faster.
Afterall, he was blocking a major intersection.

I grabbed his jack and tire iron, and began loosening his lugs. He rolled his spare up and said under his breath, "This is perfect, the spare is flat." I told him that I have a compressor in my truck. I would fill his spare while he continued removing the flat.

In a matter of minutes, we had his spare on and he was on his way. He grunted out a, "Thanks, man." before he left.

I started laughing to myself as I was driving home. I thanked God that He gave me this situation, and I saw Him work through it. Yah, the guy was fully capable of changing his own tire, but if I wouldn't have stopped, he would have been in a bad situation with a flat spare. I wonder if the guy has put any thought into it. The best that I can hope for is that he went home to his wife, told her the story, and said, "Thank God this guy came along." It was a miracle. And God deserves the thanks for it.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Day one

Day one was met with a few obsticles. What will I do if I can't find anyone to help? I can't always count on young ladies with flat tires, being there on the side of the expressway. The problem I had, that is truly the escense of this project, is not the lack of situations, but my ability to recognize them in time. The only act of kindness that I showed anyone was to let the Salvation Army bell ringer cut in front of me in the check-out line at Walmart.

As I look back over this first day, I see so many situations that I could have helped. The Salvation Army Volunteer was buying a bag of M&M's for his lunch. He was concerned about the amount of money left on his Walmart gift card. I could have offered to buy him lunch. Maybe he would have turned me down, but I still should have offered.

I can tell already, that this project is not so much about helping people in need. It will be more about me recognizing their need, and allowing Christ's light to shine through.

The Purpose of this Blog