174 words made my day.
Dan contacted me via my website last week. His 174-word email can be dissected into 2 sections: 77 words told me his story and 97 words were kind comments about Moving On and my efforts to help those who are hurting in ministry.
I’ve never met Dan, and odds are I never will this side of heaven. But his words brightened an otherwise difficult day. It probably took no more than 5 minutes for Dan to compose the email. On the surface, the message is just 174 words. A small deed. But beneath the surface, where we often find God at work, his words were far more than a small deed. They were a source of encouragement—a cool drink on a dry day. His words revived a dream and reminded me of why I do what I do.
If you are hurting today, I pray that someone does a small deed that touches your life. But I also encourage you to find a small deed that you can do for someone else.
- Give a smile
- Send a text
- Make a phone call
- Open a door
- Send an email
- Give a hug
- Write a note
- Say a kind word
- Hold a hand
Simply notice what someone needs and fill the need.
Years ago, I checked out at a grocery store with chicken soup, saltine crackers, popsicles, throat lozenges and ibuprofen. I hadn’t said a word but I managed a smile as I paid the cashier and picked up my bags. Handing me the receipt, she looked at me and said, “I hope you feel better soon.”
Her words were the best thing I carried out of the store that day.
The amazing thing about something as simple as a kind word or a compassionate touch is that our God takes the deed and multiplies its effects many times over. You may never know the full impact that your small deeds have on others until you stand before the Lord. But rest assured that every act of kindness, regardless of how small it seems to you, is made powerful in the hands of God.