When You Just Don’t Want To Do It

When You Just Don’t Want to Do It

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Matthew 22:37-39

Standing outside the elevator in my suit and heels, I sighed loudly. I was late for a free legal-advice meeting that I didn’t want to host. I was simply too busy, and my attitude was the result of other more pressing issues vying for my attention that afternoon.

After grousing during the entire drive, I parked and then sat in the car a moment longer than necessary. I gave myself a silent shake about bad attitudes and said a quick prayer. I prayed that this time I was about to spend—time that felt like such a waste—would be used for good. I asked for forgiveness for my bad attitude and handed the time over to God.

I marched into the building and discovered my appointment waiting for me in the meeting room, tears streaming down her face. As I walked back out of the building a long time later, having stayed longer than I intended, having done far more than what was technically necessary, I shed a tear or two of my own.

Because of my bad attitude, I almost missed an opportunity to use my skills to help someone else. Because I was busy complaining, I almost missed out on the best part of my day. Because I was so focused on what I wanted to accomplish, I almost missed what God wanted to accomplish.

We are called to love God with our whole hearts, souls, and minds, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Opportunities to love others often come shrouded in inconvenience and, when measured by the world’s standards, may look like a complete waste of time. Do not be fooled into thinking that slowing down and setting aside your own agenda to show love to another is wasted effort. God will use us to change the world, one person at a time, if only we let him.

—Julie

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Is there something you are grumbling about doing? Ask God to use that thing to bless someone else.