I came out of the trail onto the main path. As I headed around the last stretch, Mozart’s Piano Sonata No.16 began to play on my Ipod. After the intro I lifted my head and saw a brood of kids with their moms blocking the path. When I cleared the other side I noticed a girl, maybe 3 or 4 years old with curly blonde hair, running and skipping along the berm on my right. I thought nothing of it and continue on with Mozart.
Then something unexpected happened.
She stepped in front of me and held up a bottle of water. I stooped down and said, “Is this for me?” With sky blue eyes and the cutest face I ever saw she said, “Would you like a bottle of water?” I took it, and with a smile said, “God bless you and keep you!” She giggled and ran back to the group.
I was filled with joy! I praised God and asked Him to bless her one hundredfold in return. Imagine, a small token of kindness having that kind of impact. It was exactly what I needed at the time.
A little further along the path I found another surprise. On the pavement written in chalk and in all kinds of colors I read: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Each word had its own color: one blue, the other red, and so on. They were stacked and spaced, one after another, spanning almost the entire sidewalk and went on for about 25 feet. I laughed, and with Joy continued praising the Lord until I got back to the car.
People do acts of kindness all the time. You see a stalled truck at an intersection and help push. Someone might have a couple items at the checkout so we let them cut in front of us. It’s just the little things people do.
But the Bible tells us in so many words that every good thing we receive is of the Lord. In Him we live, move, and have our being. (Acts) He is the cause of all things, and the world is sustained by Christ through the word of his power. Nothing happens by chance.
That child who gave me the bottle of water caused me to praise and give thanks to the Lord, and I know by the word of God it was ultimately a gift from Him.
“For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.” – Mark 9:41
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