So often a simple act can mean so much to another person. A smile, a gentle hello, a hug at church, a meal, a card in the mail. These things don’t take much of our time or effort, yet for the other person they can make or break how their day is going.

We honestly have no idea what is going on in other people’s lives. We might know a little bit. We might know they have a health need, but often we hear about it only after it has gone on for quite some time and even then, it is only brought up a handful of times even though that person is living with it day in and day out possibly for months. Our churches, schools, friend walls on Facebook are filled with needs and sometimes we truly just can’t keep up.

So how do we minister to those we come in contact with who may desperately need something from us but won’t share unless prodded? I think we have to be in the habit of always smiling at everyone. Practice in Walmart. How many people can you greet with a kind word or a smile? If it is your practice, you will never forget.

I have a friend who nails cards regularly to her friends whether they are sick or not. She just calls it happy mail. And wow! That card in the mailbox on a good day is really uplifting so think about what happens when it comes on a bad day.

A meal may sound hard in today’s world where we don’t cook as much. But consider if you don’t cook much the person who needs a meal may not either and truthfully, when you have been sick or are grieving, food is food. So if all you can do is order a pizza, I promise it will be received with gratitude. Also, you can order a pizza from a thousand miles away and still help out a friend

Often you may not know if the family has a need. I have found that if I ask, most people don’t want to put me out. So I will just say hey I wanted to help your family out, may I have pizza delivered tomorrow? If it is a delivery person, they don’t feel obligated to dress up or clean up their house.

Serve the Lord with gladness. Psalm 100. That is what we are called to do. Jesus said that if we offered a cup of cold water we will be rewarded. “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

Matthew 10:42

You may feel foolish at first doing these things if you aren’t accustomed to doing them. Then you will find they become a way of life. You will also find the more you do them the more you want to do them because helping makes you feel good. That isn’t our motive, but it is a benefit. Let’s go forward each day desiring to make one person’s day just a little bit better.