“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” -Ephesians 4:32
Kindness is inspirational. When we are willing to go out of our way to help others, it can have a far more significant impact than we imagine. Sadly, kindness is rare. When we choose to act in the best interest of others, it is a blessing to those who receive our service and an inspiration to those who may witness our selfless acts. We are not kind because we want others to recognize us. We are caring because God calls us to a life of service and kindness. We are kind because it is the right thing to do. We are kind with the hopes of inspiring others to be the same.
Amber Bryant is a waitress in a local restaurant in Spokane, WA. Waiting tables is one of the most difficult jobs. You are constantly on your feet while dealing with all kinds of people. It requires lots of patience. One day, Amber had a table full of challenging guests. Ashley Pollastrini had brought herself and her three young children to the restaurant for a pizza. It had already been a difficult day. Ashley was stressed, and her children were particularly challenging at the table.
Thankfully, Ashley had Amber as a waitress that day. Amber is a mom herself and understands that being a parent is challenging. Amber went out of her way to help. She brought extra snacks to the table and helped to occupy the children. When Ashley was ready to pack up and go, Amber boxed up everything and added a few extras to help with the drive home. Amber’s relentless kindness helped to overcome Ashley’s stress and make the moment far better than it could have been.
When Ashley arrived home and put her children to bed, she went on social media to tell how meaningful the kindness was from Amber. Ashley’s heartfelt gratitude was expressed beautifully in her post. Ashley went to sleep, but when she woke the following day, she realized her post had gone viral. It even caught the attention of Rick Clark. Rick is active in the Spokane community and wanted to use this post to highlight the importance of kindness. He shared the post and raised over $800 in cash and $700 in gift cards as an extra tip for Amber, the kind waitress who went out of her way to help in a stressful moment.
Amber only wanted to be kind and help Ashley and the children. Amber’s kindness inspired an entire community. Amber was blessed by the outpouring of generosity and has since encouraged people to donate to a local non-profit.
Our world needs kindness. In the moments when others are stressed and struggling, we can be those who help make a difference. A kind word, an extra moment of our time, and a helping hand can overcome the stress of a bad day for others. A little kindness can bring light to dark times and hope in the midst of doubt and worry.
Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
