Greetings Dear Reader,
One of the mysteries of following Christ is that we do not
know the outcome of all we do until the end of all we do. We are supposed to do good things in
secret. We are not supposed to look for reward
or recognition. Our purpose and motivations
are to be external and pure. Not knowing
the outcome can aid in this if we allow it.
This preamble is a lead-in to the understanding of how much
impact kind words can have. If I make
the effort to be kind knowing that I will not know the outcome, I can more
freely offer kindness without being concerned about myself.
One of the areas where this is a dire need in our culture is
the simple offering of kind words. When
we say something kind and unexpected we rarely know what difference it will
really make. Sometimes, however, we get
a glimpse.
Recently I went into a diner that I visit infrequently but
enjoy. My server was the same young lady
who waited on me four months ago. When she
saw me at the door she immediately came up to me and showed me to a table in
her section. Before I could get out a proper
greeting she teared up and started talking.
“I have been hoping you would come back. What you said to me last time you were here
has changed everything. I am in school. I am working toward my dream job and I am so
much more hopeful than when we met in January.”
She went on to explain that when I visited the diner in
January she was about to leave the city and move to what would have turned out
to be a bad situation. The people she
was planning to live with had all gotten into serious trouble. Since business was slow, we talked about her future
for the next hour as I enjoyed my breakfast.
It took some time to remember what I had said to her on my
first visit with her. I remembered
eventually that I was impressed with her vocabulary and complimented her on it. She was articulate and intelligent. We had a great conversation about words and
their use. I mentioned that her voice
was also one that was easy to listen to.
What I did not know was that she had always wanted to work
in radio. She had an opportunity to get
a scholarship in that field but was not confident enough to take it. Apparently, our short conversation tipped the
balance.
I could only be a part of this good thing because I try to always
find something kind and genuine to say to someone. Doing this makes an impact whether I ever see
it or not. It leaves behind seeds of
hope that I may never see bloom. In this
instance I was blessed to see the outcome of my practice.
We are supposed to encourage and build up each other. We are designed to be kind. Our words have so much more power than we
realize. I must be kind whenever
possible. I must also be kind whenever
it seems impossible. The reward is in
the act. Say something kind Dear
Reader. It will make a difference.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Contacts for Aramis
Thorn:
Bookings at aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
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