The power of a kind word

My life has become very fast, but very fulfilling in many ways. Between starting a new career back in July, getting settled in the office the last few weeks, opening day coming up, keeping up with my Photography business and the house...and just life in general...I've become slightly self involved. 

I'm not even really ashamed of it. I've been single almost a year now and I don't have kids. This is my time to be selfish. Now before you judge me and think I'm just sitting at home not doing anything for my family and friends, that's not true. I do what I can, when I can. I still put them before myself. But at the forefront of my brain for a long time has been myself. My problems, my growth, my past, my future, etc. On the way to church this morning, I realized how much I do that. How much I talk about myself and what's going on in my life because I just assume everyone cares to know. I realize how wrong I am. 

I went in to church with this idea that it's not all about me. I'm part of something much bigger than I am and maybe I should start focusing on other people more. Now keep in mind, I've just recently started going to Thomas Road Baptist Church. I still don't know hardly anybody. I usually sit by myself (which I'm ok with) in the same section/seat. Today I sat one seat over and left an open spot. I thought to myself, "Just in case someone comes alone and wants to sit with me". A sweet older lady who was alone came up to me during a song and asked if she could sit next to me and I smiled and told her "Absolutely"! It felt kind of nice to sit there with someone. 

Pastor Jonathan started the sermon with saying "Each one of us is walking into this room carrying baggage. We all walked in here today with a situation and a challenge...a heart ache. You walked into this room and maybe you're sitting here the last few minutes and you see the smiles on people's faces. A lot of people that are smiling. A lot of people that are singing. A lot of people that are celebrating. And maybe in your mind you're thinking 'They don't know what I'm going through. They have no idea what I'm facing.' Because maybe what you're facing today is a challenge or heart ache greater than anything you could have ever imagined. I want you to know that everyone here is dealing with something. All of us are facing crisis. All of us are facing a challenge. All of us are facing moments of heartache that goes beyond anything that we think we can make it through. And let me just tell you, Christ is enough for you."

Though the words resounded with me after the last 20 years, 5 years, year, and even the last week I've had...I pushed all of my baggage aside. I did this because suddenly my problems weren't important. What was important was sitting on my left. This stranger suddenly became my family. I saw her desperately trying to fight back tears and I knew that whatever she was going through was more important than anything I've been going through. I'm not the type of person to step up and help someone I don't know. I've always been too scared but I always wanted to BE that person. As her tears started to fall and she tried to catch her breath, I grabbed her hand and just held it. I knew she just needed someone...anyone...to hold her hand so she would know it was going to be ok. I held her hand through prayer. Once she stopped crying, I slowly let go. 

We exchanged smiles the rest of the service and towards the end when Pastor Jonathan asks people to come to the front if they want to get to know Jesus, she turns to me and said "I'm sure if someone needed to go down there, you'd walk with them!" To this woman...I was that person I've always wanted to be. I realized I could be that person and I will be that person. When we got ready to leave she turned to me and said "You are such a blessing to me." and she hugged me tightly. 

People are put in our lives for certain reasons at certain moments. She might not have sat with me had I not left that seat available. To her, I was her blessing but to me...she was mine. Never forget the power of a kind word or a kind touch. You never know what someone else is going through and how it could help them.