The Hotel Room

The Hotel Room

Don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

Hebrews 13:16

My friend Andrea was ready to fly to Minnesota with her fifteen-month-old daughter, Emma, when severe weather delayed them at a small airport in West Virginia. By the time they finally boarded the plane, the toddler had fallen asleep in Andrea’s arms, waking only when Andrea tried to shift Emma to her stroller after landing in Detroit. Two young men, cousins named David and James, were sitting across the aisle from Andrea, and they offered to help.

Because of the delay and their 11:00 p.m. arrival in Detroit, they all received hotel vouchers for the night. David pushed the stroller while James called the hotels listed on each of their vouchers to secure rooms. It was then that they hit another snag—the same storm that had delayed their flight had stranded many other travelers in Detroit, and even though everyone had received vouchers, Andrea’s assigned hotel was already full. The cousins’ hotel wasn’t, so they offered to give Andrea their voucher.

However, there was yet another snag when they realized that the name on the voucher required them to show identification in order to check in. David and James insisted on taking the shuttle with Andrea and Emma to the hotel, where they then planned to check in to their room, give it to the girls, then return to the airport to spend the night in hard plastic chairs.

When they all arrived at the hotel and explained to the front desk employee what the guys were insisting upon doing—giving up their room for Andrea and Emma—the clerk not only secured David and James a room too, but he also comped both rooms. Although she never saw the cousins or the clerk again after the hotel check-in, Andrea says she’s never forgotten their kindness.

All too often, it’s easy to ignore acts of kindness that require us to sacrifice something. We believe that we don’t have enough time or money, or perhaps we reason that someone else will do it. However, when we share with those in need, our sacrifice is what pleases God.

—Kristin

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Give up something (time, talent, or money) for someone who needs it.