It can be so annoying to be in the longest, slowest line at the grocery store or gas pump. I find myself in a perpetual rush and anything that slows me down adds to my frustration.
But, we have the opportunity to be generous to others just through our interactions over seeming inconveniences.
When I see someone, I should begin by assuming the best about him or her. It’s easier to assume that a cashier is bad at her job or that a gas pump attendant is lazy. It is harder to give each person we meet the benefit of the doubt.
Pause and think about what they might be experiencing. Maybe someone is new on the job and gets flustered when it’s busy. Maybe she is back at work unexpectedly because her husband is out of work or ill. Maybe he just became a single dad and is having trouble concentrating because he’s worried about how to learn to raise his kids alone. That bank teller who is moving too slowly may have been held up last week or that receptionist may have been chewed out by an irate customer.
It really doesn’t take that much effort to treat everyone we encounter with kindness. We are all created in God’s image and are loved by him. But not everyone knows that. Some haven’t had the benefit of kind words and positive interactions with others.
For the cost of a little extra time, a smile and some patience you can change someones day, and maybe even how she sees herself.
Next – Don’t Let Negative Experiences Steal Your Generous Heart
Kill em with kindness, right? That’s the phrase/motto that popped into my head when reading today’s post.