The perfect gift: a little heart-shaped box filled with colorful paper strips of personalized compliments. I had worked so hard on it and I was so excited to give it to my friend. I was a little nervous to see this friend’s reaction, but I just knew it had to be encouraging.
But when I handed it to him, all I got was a “thanks” before the box was chucked into the back of the car and never to be spoken of again. Afterwards, I wondered if my act of kindness wasn’t really so kind? Perhaps I was in the wrong for thinking I could be encouraging.
Years later, as chuckle ruefully at the memory, I am reminded of how important it is to not allow others’ reactions remake reality.
When we do a kind act, but we are not appreciated for it, we are less inclined to go the extra mile in the future. When we wear something that makes us feel special, but someone teases us, we aren’t encouraged to express ourselves. When we choose to reach out to a lonely person, but that person doesn’t respond the way we intended, we regret our brave choice.
But that doesn’t make any of those actions bad or wrong. It doesn’t mean we should regret helping others or being true to ourselves.
It just means that people’s reactions shouldn’t dictate the way we live our lives.
Think about someone who inspires you. Someone who is kind, even on an off-day. Someone who forgives and is willing to move on. Someone who uses their talents to bring hope and light into the world.
What if that person let one negative reaction stop them from caring? What if that person chose to follow the crowd instead of shine their light?
Well, you know personally that the world would be far less beautiful without their gifts.
You are just as capable of making a difference as the people you admire. But we are all susceptible to being torn down by negative reactions.
So how can we combat discouragement?
By following a different guidebook for life. And I think you know which guidebook I’m talking about!
When we follow God’s calling on our lives (through reading the Bible, the best guidebook there is), we are able to live without regret. Even if people laugh at us, don’t understand us, or pretend like we don’t matter, we will know that our presence and our faithfulness is making a difference.
Today, I hope that you can rest assured that every single kind thing you do matters. Every smile, every check-in, every time you do something extra. It all matters, both to God and to greater humanity, whether you realize it or not.
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
1 Peter 5:10
The Will to Wake Up 