A Challenging Response

Ken Rice

My daughter shared a story with me this week about an interaction she had with a customer. I couldn’t stop thinking about what she told me and I found myself being challenged by this uncommon act of kindness.

My daughter works at a local coffee shop, and on election day a middle-eastern gentleman came to order his coffee. They struck up a conversation and he asked her if she had voted yet. She replied that she had filled out her ballot and would be dropping it off at the drop box when she got off work. In the conversation she mentioned that this was her first time voting in a presidential election. It was his response that captivated me, convicted me because it would not be my default response, and challenged me to be better. His response to her: “This is your first time voting!? That is fantastic! You know what, I hope your candidate wins!”

This gentleman had no idea what my daughter’s political bent was, no idea who she voted for, but chose in the moment to be kind and encouraging to a stranger who was exercising the same right as he had been given.

This might not seem like a huge deal to you, but in a climate where shaming, insults, and the pressure to conform seem to be the mode of operation from both sides of the isle; where intimidation tactics seem to be ignored, tolerated, and in some cases celebrated while controversial narratives and conspiracy theories are being broadcast as reality by media and social media platforms, this simple gesture of kind selfless encouragement jumped out to me.

I have no idea what religious persuasion this gentleman was from, if any. I don’t know if he knows Jesus or not. What I can say is in that moment he showed the love, kindness, and heart of Jesus better than I have modeled it as of late.

It has been easy to get wrapped around the axle during this season and forget that, as out of control as things seem to be, we are part of a greater and higher Kingdom and our King, King Jesus, is in complete control. The government, our government, the one we are stressing a bit over, rests on His shoulders. Isaiah 9:6

This truth, as believers, should bring us a peace and hope during these uncertain times. That hope isn’t for us to hoard and keep to ourselves. As we go about our day we need to be bringing this peace and hope into our communities and Oikos. I’d like to challenge you in this season as I have been challenged to model loving kindness and selfless encouragement as this gentleman modeled to my daughter.

I think we might look, smell, and taste a whole lot more like Jesus when we are quick to listen, quick to encourage, slow to argue and debate, and only share our opinions when asked to do so. 

“ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” - James 1:19