On The Lookout
“Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”
I watch the news too often. In the process, I get a warped view of reality. When my mind hears the same negative stories, over and over again, it leaves me cold and a little cynical. It takes an act of will to regain a proper perspective. I spent one afternoon intentionally looking for small, almost tiny, acts of compassion and kindness. What I found was meaningful.
There were so many people giving of themselves throughout the day. A mother and father showing patience, while their four—year-old throws an Olympic-worthy tantrum; a kind man offered to help an older woman put her groceries into her trunk and take her cart away; my little list went on and on. With each recognition, I felt my soul lift and my heart warm. It was such a renewing exercise.
Yes, horrific things happen to innocent people. In October of 2018, I was horrified by the Jayme Closs story. I spent my High School years less than a two-hour drive from where Jayme Closs’ parents were murdered and she was abducted. My first church was an hour and a half from her home. The proximity kept me interested in her story. Then, after three months, she found a way to escape. A woman walking her dog risked her own life to bring Jayme to safety. The murderer/abductor was in his car looking for her when he was arrested. The woman with the dog was wise enough to take Jayme to the closest home. The couple opened their doors to Jayme and called 911. They, too, were brave and selfless, taking the chance, knowing her captor might find them before the police found him. Jayme’s courageous helpers, searchers, and those who prayed for her mean that there are thousands of good people for every one dangerously ill human being.
Today, find a little time to be intentionally on the lookout and seek little moments of goodness around you. Pray for those around you, as you investigate. Pray for the kind individuals, but also for those who are less so. Try to find “God Moments” going on around you. Do not let the news stories of the day control or manipulate your soul. When you start to feel cynical, take this action, and you will find again that there are good people around you all the time. They are truly a gift from God.
