“Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” -1 Timothy 4:12
Carson Boutte is a 9-year-old who has demonstrated that our ability to offer the loving-kindness of God is not limited by age or circumstances. On Carson’s birthday, a day that most people would assume should be set aside to celebrate, Carson and many others delivered pizzas to displaced flood victims in Louisiana.
This pizza delivery all began with a compassionate gesture from Carson. Carson asked his parents if they would be willing to spend his birthday money on food for the people whose homes had been homes in the flooding. His parents agreed and contacted the local Domino’s to order pizzas. The family agreed to spend Carson’s special day delivering pizza to people as they worked to restore their homes.
What happened next is a beautiful testimony to what one kind action can do to inspire others. Carson’s family posted on social media what they were doing for Carson’s birthday. As word began to spread, more and more people began to call Domino’s to add pizzas to the order. Domino’s Pizza also joined in the festivities with a donation of 100 pies. When Carson and his family showed up to deliver pizza they were excited to find out they would be delivering 363 pizzas. They were also overjoyed to find out they would not be doing it alone. Not only had people donated additional pizzas, but they also showed up to celebrate Carson’s special day and help distribute the pizzas.
It was an exceptional day for Carson and the people who both delivered and received pizza. It was a much larger event than anyone had anticipated. Carson’s father, Ross said, “We thought it was going to be just our family but whenever word got out, it just looked like the love wanted to be spread all over the area.”
The impact of compassion and kindness is not limited by our age or our abilities. When we are intentional about caring for others, offering what we have to meet the needs of others, we will find that we are capable of much more than we dream. Carson and his family demonstrated that kindness is a powerful force that overcomes even the most difficult of circumstances. I want to encourage you to look to Carson’s example and bless someone today with your intentional act of kindness.
Rev. Keith King, Online Campus Pastor
