Simple Acts of Kindness

Over the next couple of weeks, the women's Sunday school class will be talking about random acts of kindness, encouraging others, service discipleship, and secrecy as a discipline. I am very excited about these topics and I am praying that this will begin a movement within our congregation and to our community.

I'm sure you have experienced, or at least heard about, a random act of kindness or two. You know... paying for the person behind you in the drive-through line or raking the leaves for the neighbor who just broke a leg. Well, this week I was on the receiving end of a random act of kindness. It's such an amazing God story that I can't keep it to myself. This will be long but I think it's worth sharing.

Earlier in the week I stopped into a service station for a routine oil change, car inspection, and to replace my windshield wipers as the rubber on one of them was flapping in the wind. I turned over my keys and then psyched myself up to sit in the waiting area for about 30 minutes. I posted an update on my Facebook page: "Sitting at the service station.... Uggghhhh!" (Seriously... there were hundreds of places I would have rather been.)

It wasn't long before the owner came out to talk to me about my car. He said he needed to show me something. (Not a good sign.) He brought me out to my car which was now up in the air. One of my tires was ripping on the inside. The ball joints were shot. All four tires needed to be replaced which you could not see from the outside. Apparently the ball joints and something else that I don't understand had cause the tires to wear unevenly so they were wearing out on the inside (under the car where you can't see.) He said the brakes would be the next to go and listed a few other things that should be replaced. "Except for the tire situation, this is all just normal wear and tear for the number of miles you have on your car" he said. And, due to the unsafe condition of my tires, my car failed the inspection.

He brought me back inside the waiting area and then printed out the cost of the services he was recommending. The total came to $908.00! I tried to remain calm. He continued to talk as I dropped my head so he wouldn't see that my eyes were tearing up. In my mind I was thinking, "there goes the computer I promised Nick for Christmas." I silently began to pray.

I finally spoke through my tears saying that I just didn't have that kind of money and that the tires on my car should not be wearing out. They should have lasted 60,000 miles. They were my second set of tires and I only had 67,000 miles on my car. It just wasn't adding up.

The poor man was silent. He said, "let's figure out what is absolutely necessary and then we'll come up with a maintenance plan for the rest of the work." I could tell that he felt badly and I was embarrassed that I wasn't able to control my tears. We ended up deciding what had to be done and arranged for me to come back the next morning as the work was going to take several hours and I needed to get to my office. I also needed to buy some time. I had no idea how I was going to come up with the new total of $684.00.

I grabbed my purse and got into my car to head to work. I noticed that I had a voice mail message on my cell phone. I listened and it was my friend Luann. She had called while I was at the desk and the owner was telling me what was wrong with my car. She said that she saw my Facebook update and she wanted me to call her back so she could ask me a quick question. I was too emotional to call right away. I got back to the office, told everyone what happened, and cried some more. My sweet friends tried to come up with solutions like getting a second opinion, making some phone calls, etc. I mentioned that Luann had called and, knowing Luann, I'll bet she knows a mechanic and that's why she's calling. Luann knows everyone and is the source queen for everything. The woman just knows people and knows how to get things done!

I got myself together and returned Luann's phone call. She asked what my car needed and I explained what had happened at the shop. Up until that moment she did not know that I wasn't in for a scheduled maintenance or an oil change or whatever. When I told her that nothing had been done so far and that the total would be $684.00 she said, "do you have paper and a pen?" I told her I did and then she said, "write this down." I truly thought she was going to give me the name and number of a mechanic in my area who would work on my car for a discount. Instead, Luann gave me a credit card number. I asked her what it was and she said, "it's my credit card. I want you to put the total on my card." I was dumbfounded! I cried way more than I cried at the service station. I told her that I just couldn't let her do that and her response was, "yes you can. When I saw your Facebook update God told me to do this. If you don't allow me to pay for your car, you are not allowing me to be obedient and you are robbing me of the blessing." I told her that I just didn't know what to say and Luann said, "you say, 'thank you Jesus.' That's all. And when anyone asks, you tell them that God provided because that's exactly what He just did."

Never in my life have I experienced such an instant answer to prayer. The moment I was crying out to Him for help, He was whispering to Luann. How can anyone possibly say that He isn't all knowing and all seeing? How can anyone say that He isn't our great Provider? How can anyone say that He doesn't care about our circumstances?

The story didn't end there. You see, when I shared the story with the owner of the car shop he was so moved that he started to give me more discounts and provided more services. In the end, I had four brand new tires, new ball joints, the oil was changed, the windshield wipers replaced, a passing inspection, and much more. Luann's total bill was now $542.52.

Judging by the way all of the mechanics in the shop treated me, I believe that the shop owner shared the story with them. I don't know if they were believers before I went in that morning but I do know that they saw God very clearly that day. I could see it in their eyes. One of them teared up when he said, "that's not the first time I've heard about something like this."

Ladies, I don't believe that providing for me and blessing Luann was all that God had up His sleeve that day. I believe He was up to something far greater.

One more nugget...

When Luann returned to her office after all of this had transpired, there was an envelope on her desk. Inside was an unexpected check for $627.00. Apparently she was shorted a commission the previous month and they had found the error and issued a check. Luann was blessed for her obedience. When she said "yes" to God, He provided more than she gave. You truly can't out give God!

Friends, can I tell you that it isn't easy to be on the receiving end of a random act of kindness. I like to be the one doing the serving. Not that I have ever done anything on this scale. My random acts of kindness usually involve a hot meal, running an errand, or leaving a little gift from Jesus for someone in secret. I find it very interesting that just a few days before I begin leading a class on random acts of kindness, I am the recipient of such an act. I don't believe that this is an accident. This is a Godcident... a really BIG one!

Because of my experience, I am so pumped up for our classes. I can't wait to see what we come up with... how we can disciple through practical service to those who don't expect it... but desperately need it. Those who desperately need Him.

Are you ready to begin?

Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn