Have you ever noticed that a simple act which may appear so “small” to you can be so “big” to someone else?
In other words, we never know when the smallest act of kindness can have the biggest impact in someone else’s life.
Photo courtesy of UU World under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC- ND 2.0)
As I am employed at a hospital and despite being a non-clinical employee, we still, annually, are required to obtain a TB (tuberculin) test. It only takes a few seconds to administer the test and to also make sure you are up-to-date on your immunizations.
To appease the problem of not being able to find a parking spot available, I went early in the morning to the hospital where the employee health office is located (not my normal work location) on my way to work. I arrived at the office a few minutes before it opened and ended up second in line out of three people waiting for the door to be unlocked.
Once inside the office, you sign in, fill out paperwork and wait to be called. The first nurse took the first employee, and then a second nurse came along and called the other lady but said at the same time “I assume you were first in line since your paper was first” to that lady. The employee seemed a little confused and I just looked and said that was fine for her to go ahead. (Even though I was in line first.)
It did not bother me in the least as I already was clocked in and I know it only takes two minutes. A few extra minutes of waiting was not a problem at all.
Much to my surprise the employee ahead of me, once done, poked her head back in the office where I was still seated and thanked me so much for letting her go ahead. When the nurse called me back, she too thanked me, apologized for the confusion and said how nice it was of me to let the other lady go first. I said it was no problem at all.
Photo courtesy of BK under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0)
With the TB test, you have to report back for them to “read” your arm between 48 to 72 hours after the administration of the test. So, I returned at the same time of day two days later and saw I was the only one in line waiting for them to unlock the door as it was still before opening time.
Much to my surprise, the lady who went ahead of me on the first day comes walking down the hallway and already had her arm read despite the door being locked.
She thanked me again for that first day, told me how much it meant to her and how she had said a prayer that day that I would be blessed because of my simple kindness in letting her go first.
She then explained that she was actually sitting down the hallway that day because of some issue she had with her leg. Standing in line waiting bothered her too much. When the second nurse called her name she was caught off guard and just got up and went.
it was a good reminder that we just never know what people may be dealing with and how a small simple act of kindness may bless another.
Photo courtesy of BK under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Can you think of a time you experienced an act of kindness that blessed you and share in the comment section below? Your kindness may give someone else an idea of something they can do and it is always a blessing to see the Lord working in other’s lives. Thank you in advance!
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. –Colossians 3:12 (NLT)
