"Do not neglect to show
hospitality to strangers, for by this some have
entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews
13:2 NASB)
It was a sweltering day in
late Summer. I was a young dad working in a
local lumber mill. It was dangerous, back-breaking
work that paid very little. In the year I had
worked there only four other people hadn’t quit and
been replaced with new faces. Those of us who
stayed did so only because there was no other work
to find to support our families.
On this day the fans
weren’t working and all of us were covered in sweat
and sawdust. When I looked around every face I
saw looked angry and frustrated. Suddenly, a
voice called out: “Hey! There’s a deer in here.”
A lost little doe had wandered through the open
loading bay doors and was now cowering in between
the huge stacks of lumber. All of us stopped
working and went looking for her as she ran about
frantically looking for a way out.
Now most people where I
live hunt deer for meat in the Fall but also treat
them with great kindness the rest of the year.
Many will even buy 50lb bags of corn to help feed
them during the harsh Winter months. It was no
surprise then that all of us were soon quickly
working together to free this little doe. By
blocking off all the other routes we were able to
guide her frantic search back to the open bay doors.
We watched as she bounded out the building and back
into the woods. Then we walked back in to
work. I noticed something, though. On
every face there was a joyful smile. It was as
if this one single act of kindness had energized us
again and reminded us of what life is all about.
The Quaker author, Parker
Palmer once wrote: “Committing acts of kindness
shows us the power that we have-over ourselves and
our choices, and over whether this world is a cruel
or wondrous place to live.” I would add that
they also bring us closer to love and closer to God.
Fill your day and your life with acts of kindness
then. Let them flow from your soul. Let
them warm your heart. Let them light up your
life. Let them lead you to love. Every
kind act we do is a step towards Heaven. Every
kind act we do helps us to become the people we were
meant to be. From sharing a smile to rescuing
a lost little deer, kindness can become a way of
life for us all.
Joseph J. Mazzella