I often encounter people, share exchanges of life happenings, and walk away with promises from me or the other person to pray and/or offer support. I often think, I should make them a meal or do something tangible for them. Sometimes the exchange will fall short from the pleasantries and promises of good intentions of caring for each other.
I ponder how we make it from our heartfelt care and concern for people we encounter to actionable steps in being the hands and feet of Christ. This is something I have been personally trying to be better at over the last several years.
People are often surprised and appreciative when I follow up with a text or comment, remembering details they shared with me about their lives. Trust me, this has been an intentional practice and has nothing to do with a stellar memory. This is a skill that I have worked on cultivating, especially with people who are needing prayer, support, or a word of encouragement.
For example, after communicating with a woman who I didn’t know personally but knew she was facing an upcoming extensive surgery, I told her in our exchange I would be praying for her. To ensure my follow-through, I put a reminder on my phone so I would remember to pray/text her again. If I didn’t take this actionable step, my squirrel brain would not have remembered.
After receiving my reminder, I followed up with a word of encouragement/prayer prior to her surgery date. She wrote an exclamation, “Wow! Thank you for praying.” I sent several more intentional texts to her. Her husband purposely came over to me at a recent celebration and told me he appreciated all I had done for his wife.
My actions truly didn’t seem like much to me. In my mind, this was a simple task. However, God is teaching me, as I do more of this with other people, how it can have a great impact. They feel seen during a tough or unknown time. God continues to show me how meaningful simple acts can allow Him to work through me.
I have also been a recipient of these acts while embracing a new season in my life. These intentional acts included a friend leaving a small gift at my doorstep with trinkets to uplift me, another person sharing her experience about becoming a mother-in-law, reassuring me of God’s truth in this transition, and a physical touch by another important person who acknowledged my feelings. These simple acts kept me focused and my eyes on God’s truth. They were true blessings to me.
We all want to be seen. As women, we often think our acts have to be large in scale when, in reality, it is the small acts which may bring a greater impact. It can come as easily as a smile, a text, stopping and praying, or a hug.
It reminds me of how Jesus, through His excruciating sacrifice on the cross, gave each of us the opportunity, through the simple act of confession and belief in Him, to receive our redemption. There are no works we have to perform to receive this mercy and grace.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 ESV
The simple act of our belief brings us eternal life and the promise of the Holy Spirit to guide us. In our profession of faith, God calls us to be equally life-giving to others through how we live our lives and care for others. Jesus tells His disciples shortly before He goes to the cross:
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” John 15:16-17 ESV
Sometimes we do not realize how our acts of service and God’s use of them are meant to draw others near to Him. A biblical example is when Mary poured out the expensive perfume over Jesus’ head. She was scoffed at by one of His disciples because of her being frivolous, but Jesus knew she was preparing Him for His burial. (John 12:1-8, Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9)
One may not plan or realize the impact of their small service, but God works through us—to prepare others for the transitions they are facing. God may use that simple act to bring them comfort, clarity, or lead them to Christ.
Let us not grow weary of doing the simple loving acts as we encounter other women. I pray God will use our smiles, texts, hugs, and prayer to encourage other women, allowing Him to water and nurture those acts in the way He sees fit.
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