Shock Someone Today – Do an Act of Kindness!

I was in the middle of grieving my dad’s death when someone shocked me by showing an act of kindness. I was at a drive through at a Starbucks that is close to where my dad had lived the last couple of years. I ordered a coffee and a scone. As I pulled up to pay for my purchase the Barista told me that the person ahead of me had already paid for me. I was speechless and because the car had already pulled away I didn’t know what to do. I said thank you to the Barista and asked them to thank the person if they knew them as regulars.

The real question was whether I was just as quick the next day to do the same for someone else that was behind me at Starbucks? Imagine how life would change if more of us would slow down enough to even think about how our actions impact those around us. I had taken a couple of one day reduced bus passes to one of my teens yesterday. She’s been frustrated and struggling with not being able to buy a buss pass for school. She was too embarrassed to ask for help. I had asked her to come to one of our life group meetings and she said that it wasn’t a good day and didn’t feel up to attending. I knew that something was wrong.

Yesterday we were doing a group project with a high school group that was painting the trim of a close friend’s house and doing clean up around the house. I was shocked that while we were eating lunch a man stopped by and gave all of the students a candy bar. I was puzzled as to why he did this and whether he knew what we were all about. I look forward to talking with these students today to see if they realize that a total stranger blessed them.

I know that, as a parent, I engrained in my kid’s head don’t ever talk to a stranger. I had never thought throw what to do if a total stranger actually showed an act of kindness that didn’t have strings attached? We live in a society where it is dangerous to expose yourself or especially your kids to someone who might lure them away and take them. It is time to change the perception of most when it comes to doing something for a good reason to brighten up someone else’s day.

The opportunity is to allow that car that is attempting to turn into the flow of traffic to drive in front of you even though you don’t have to do that. What would happen if you told the McDonald’s cashier that you will pay for the family behind you? It would make great sense for me to do that at Starbucks. So shock someone today and see how this might send ripples throughout your neighborhood. Show some TLC!