It is the little things

Jesus said that those who were invited into the Kingdom had done the little things: glass of water, a visit to the nursing home, a shirt for a naked person, a cane for the cripple, the small acts of dignity that recognize the common humanity of each person.

I think I am tempted to forget that, but I have to confess that there are posts on social media that remind me of the power of the little things. The story of a woman who paid for the groceries of another woman who had Food Stamps and was abused by another woman in line. The story of the stewardess who was grabbed and demanded by a white woman that she would not sit next to an African American. The stewardess went found another seat and came back and invited the African American to come with her, that he did not have to stay seated next to that bigot. The post of the three year old boy walking the dog who walked past a nice large puddle. The boy got about three steps beyond the puddle and then reconsidered. He carefully put down the lease, turned walked back to the puddle, jumped into the puddle two or three times and then came back slowly, picked up the lease and walked on with the dog calmly waiting while the boy did the jumping.  A little moment of joy grabbed by the little boy. The story of some teenage boys all getting their head shaved so that their friend with cancer getting chemo would not look strange.  The young girl wearing the traditional head dress of the Muslims in order to show support for the young Muslim girl in her class.

You can add your own stories, but grace does not come very often in large measures. It slips in on the little things that we do to recognize and rejoice in our common humanity and our common dignity.  It is the little things that are not required, that we do because we care not because we have to, but because it feels good to do and it gives respect to others. But be very careful, it is not always easy even to do the little things. There can be some very negative responses and attack from others for even the little things. Ah, but nothing can take away the great joy and fellowship that is birthed in doing those little things.