Articles
Acts of Random Kindness
I don’t know about you but I can view circumstances surrounding me with a critical and judgmental mind. I know what appears externally may not be the real truth but that doesn’t stop me from judging people or circumstances with a less than a kind and sensitive heart.
As most of you know, my grandson Maverick has autism. When you have someone dear to you in your family that has special needs, it’s so much easier to be patient with their idiosyncrasies (a mode of behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual) than to be critical and fault-finding. Jason, Ashley and Maverick are on vacation and as they were traveling to Canada, a most surprising thing happened to them. I want you to consider the following note she sent out over facebook:
So at breakfast Mav was having a rough time....one because he's been awake since 2AM and two because the WiFi wasn't working right at the hotel (plus being up at 2AM). A lady at the table next to us turned around and asked so nicely, not judgmentally, if he was ok. I told her he had been up since 2. She asked if he had an upset tummy. I told her no, that he had Autism and being up so early, by this point any little thing upsets him. She smiled and said "poor thing". Then a couple of minutes later she got up to throw something away and just hugged me from behind and said "God bless you". I won't lie, I teared up. I know she could see how tired I was and how we were trying to just keep Mav calm and happy as best we could. We have had the stares, we have had the "oh" after we say he has Autism, but never before have I had this. What a sweet, compassionate woman she was. She did not know me but that didn't stop her from caring. Definitely made my morning turn around!!
We all need to be careful in the way we judge people and circumstances. I don’t know how many times over the years I’ve seen a child “misbehaving” in a store or out in public and thought, “What that child needs is a good spanking. Why doesn’t the mother do something?”
Now, having a special needs grandson, I have become more sympathetic and sensitive toward others. It may be the child or person has a special need that is not apparent from outward appearances. After reading this little note, maybe we can be a little less judgmental in our thinking and practice acts of random kindness. As with Ashley, you’ll never believe how precious such is to those who are in desperate need of it. As we continue in our series on Growing in the Likeness of Jesus, this might be one area we can better emulate Him in the future than we have in days gone by.
