The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. – Acts 28:2
In this scripture, Paul, the soldiers, and other prisoners have survived a long and terrifying sea voyage. They did not arrive at their intended destination. They were off course and landed on the island of Malta. It did not matter, land beneath their feet was welcomed. How grateful they must have felt to finally catch a break! How often do we receive unexpected hospitality and kindness, especially when we truly need it? And how does it make us feel? We can hardly express ourselves over the strong feelings of surprise, love, and humbling gratitude.
This Thanksgiving will be hard for many families in Oklahoma City. With the extended loss of power during the ice storms, many could not cook and spent much of their income on eating from local fast food restaurants. Many families will struggle to provide a hearty, healthy Thanksgiving meal for themselves this year. I am reminded that we have the opportunity to show “unusual kindness” for our neighbors this year. As we prepare our own Thanksgiving meals, perhaps we could consider how we could help those in need around us.
I hope you will consider giving to help feed the hungry in our community. Perhaps you might have time to help at an event to prepare a meal for those in need. We all know how humbling and grateful that feeling is, to get a helping hand in our desperate time of need. Let us take time to be a light in the darkness to someone this Thanksgiving and share “unusual kindness” with a neighbor.
– Logan Fish, St. Luke’s Edmond Director of Hospitality and Director of Arts Programming
