My parents had an anniversary last week… 66 years after this wedding day picture was taken in 1956. They went to a favorite little restaurant called The Country Place just a mile from their house in Tennessee to celebrate.
My dad shared the happy occasion with a waitress and she must have spread the word. As they were eating their meal, a man walked by and patted my father on the back and said: ‘Happy Anniversary.’ When they went to the counter to pay the bill, my parents were told: “No… someone has already covered it.” My mom found their waitress and asked who did the kind deed so she could thank them. The waitress said: “Actually ma’am, people were almost fighting over the privilege to pay.”
Such surprises lift the spirits any day of the week, and such generosity brings a smile to our Heavenly Father. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit! Besides being a place of worship, the Temple of old was to be a place of prayer, healing, and compassion. Now God plans His children all over the world to reveal His Light to all through such means.
When Jesus says: “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” I think He is telling us to always act like the Father… towards friend or foe. ‘He is kind; you be kind. He is compassionate; you be compassionate. He is merciful; you be merciful.’ What change might there be in this world if the children of God spent less time vocalizing, posting, and arguing… and more time pouring out extravagant love?
The secret giver in The Country Place did not care to be known or to call any attention to self. He or she (as well as those who fought over the privilege) just wanted to do something nice for an older couple… and my parents were blessed.
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” I Corinthians 3:16
“If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:32-36