The power of kindness

As I sat in the middle of a five o’clock traffic jam, something in the opposite lane caught my eye. An older man had opened his car door in the middle of traffic and was struggling to get out. He looked so much like my father that I had to catch my breath. Why was he getting out of his car in the middle of traffic? He was having difficulty walking and had his hand on his forehead. Was his car battery dead? Did he have a health issue?

I no longer felt impatient about the traffic jam; instead, I had a strong desire to run and help this man. But there was no way to reach him from where I sat. I was stuck, and he looked so helpless.  I began to pray aloud: Lord, please send someone to help this man!

At that moment, a young man bolted out of his car and ran down the median toward the older man. I began clapping with joy and yelling, “Help him!”

I watched from my car as the young man put his arm around the older gentleman, talked to him, and then pulled out his phone to call for help. The older man had left his car in a dangerous place in the street, and it needed to be pushed to the side of the road. In an instant, five people were working to move the car, and more people joined in to help. By then, first responders had arrived and immediately began clearing traffic to make way for the vehicle.

My eyes were on the older man as I prayed for his safety. He was distressed and overwhelmed, hanging on to the young man who eventually was able to lead him away from the situation. He sat the older man down on a bench, and they watched the first responders finish moving his car off the road.

The picture of what happened that afternoon stayed in my mind all evening. A simple act of kindness had changed the entire situation. I thanked God for answering my prayer and for the young man doing what needed to be done with gentleness and empathy. And I thanked God for allowing me to witness love lived out in the middle of an intersection. God saves us daily by sending people to help and by nudging prayer warriors we may never see. Acts of kindness have a ripple effect – one person steps out to make a difference, and others follow. Sometimes, we spend too much time waiting for big miracles and miss small acts of kindness. We forget God takes care of the little details in our daily lives. That day, my eyes were opened to how God can use a simple moment to show He is always watching out for us.

I am grateful for that young man. He inspired me and others who watched, and he provided kindness and safety to the older gentleman. Kindness is powerful. It yields fruit in our lives and in the lives of those around us. My takeaway from the day: Be kind, love out loud, and look for the moments to show kindness throughout the day. Your kind gift can change a life, including yours.