When's the last time...

…you offered to buy someone a meal, not a beggar, not even a visibly poor person, just because you had a feeling you should.

My parents were tired when they went out one day to take a couple of hours off work. My dad had just returned from a long trip where he’d been attending a series of seminars and workshops. In his absence my mom struggled to keep up with the difficult task of managing a large mission center without the support of her husband and two other colleagues she usually relied on.

Their anniversary had come and gone while they were apart, so they headed out for a simple lunch to celebrate. Money was tight at their mission center. Most donations went straight into their projects and basic running costs with very little left over for extras.

Still, they looked like a nicely dressed middle aged couple, not the sort of people you would immediately think needed financial help. So it was a surprise when their waiter, a young man making an average wage, on hearing about their charitable projects said, “The Lord told me to set aside a sum of money to bless someone. Can I pay for your meal?”

My parents were touched by his offer and gratefully accepted the young man’s generosity. As they were leaving he handed them some folded up bills. “For the mission work,” he said. When they reached home they were amazed to see the sum was about four times more than they’d originally thought.

When’s the last time you were used to bless somebody?

We all can be channels of God’s blessings simply by carrying out random acts of kindness regardless of whether or not the recipient looks particularly needy. And in blessing others we too will be blessed.

“Kindness is like perfume. You can’t put some on someone else without getting a few drops on yourself.”