More From Monica A. Andermann

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

— Hebrews 13:16 (NRSVUE)

Over the summer, my husband and I visited the beach as we often do. On this particular day, we decided to end our afternoon by checking the nearby gift shop. To call this place a gift shop is an understatement. It’s part restaurant, part jeweler, part clothing boutique, part lounge, and more. It’s quite a bustling operation. Above the din, as I was deciding between the blue t-shirt and the tie-dyed sweatshirt, I heard a bit of a disruption at the cash register. The clerk was repeatedly telling her customer the price of his lunch order. In turn, the customer was shuffling through his pockets, producing a few extra cents here and there. This went on for several minutes, and I could hear grumbling from behind the counter as several shop employees, including the fry cook, attempted to collect the correct payment

Finally, I moved forward for a better look. I saw a frazzled customer who struggled to understand the equally frazzled staff with his limited command of the language. Providentially, I spoke enough of his language to understand that because he did not factor in sales tax, he had overextended the amount he could afford for his meal. With frustration mounting and the line lengthening, I could only see one quick, easy resolution for everyone involved. I produced my credit card and paid the balance. The customer nodded his thanks and left, grateful to enjoy his meal. Yet what happened next came as a surprise to me. One by one, the beach staff thanked me—not for solving their problem, but for helping someone who needed help—each one echoing, “That was very nice of you.” I replied, “Oh, that was nothing. We all have to help each other. Please don’t forget that.”

As I walked away, I realized something. While my intention was to be a “servant of Christ” by helping a confused customer, something else important happened. Through my actions, I was able to be an example to the impressionable group of young people working that day. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, my actions were being noted by the people around me. And hopefully those people will be inspired to go the extra mile in kindness when an opportunity arises in their experience.

As a final note, I chose my prayer focus for today to be “Groups marginalized by society.” I selected that focus mindfully because, though we all need help at times, too often I have seen multiple categories of marginalized people be ignored, hurried aside, diminished, or taunted. I love The Message version of Matthew 25:40, “Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’” What a beautiful thought. Keep this close to your heart. When the opportunity arises, let’s share whatever good we can. We may never know what far-reaching impact our example may have.