Walking through the World with Your Eyes Open

If I go straight home, throw a load of laundry in the washer, then run to the grocery store, I can start dinner while the clothes are drying and maybe make it to tonight’s meeting.
My mind whirled with a thousand to-dos. Mom had been in the hospital for almost a week, and I was struggling to juggle everything. Work, church, family, and home responsibilities all demanded attention. As I watched the numbers light up on the bank of elevators on the eighth floor of the hospital, awaiting the doors to open and whisk me on to the next thing, I glanced around. I wondered if it might be quicker to take the stairs.
That’s when I saw the man, crouched against the wall off to my left.

If I go straight home, throw a load of laundry in the washer, then run to the grocery store, I can start dinner while the clothes are drying and maybe make it to tonight’s meeting.

My mind whirled with a thousand to-dos. Mom had been in the hospital for almost a week, and I was struggling to juggle everything. Work, church, family, and home responsibilities all demanded attention. As I watched the numbers light up on the bank of elevators on the eighth floor of the hospital, awaiting the doors to open and whisk me on to the next thing, I glanced around. I wondered if it might be quicker to take the stairs.

That’s when I saw the man, crouched against the wall off to my left.

I’d walked right past him to push the DOWN button.

That’s an odd posture for a grown man.

I peeked at him out of the corners of my eyes, trying not to stare. 

It wouldn’t have mattered. His eyes were closed.

Is he okay?

I glanced back to the elevator numbers, creeping slower than the school calendar the week before summer break.

I hope he’s okay. I don’t want to stare. And I don’t want to embarrass him by asking. I really don’t have time. I wish the elevator would arrive. 

I stared at the elevator panel, willing the doors to open. 

The sound of weeping reached my ears. 

He’s not okay. Someone he loves is sick. Maybe dying. 

All thoughts of my schedule and my to-do list fizzled. Confused thoughts replaced my impatient ones.

What should I do? Should I say something? Maybe I should pretend I don’t hear him. What if he just wants to be alone?

The Spirit brought a few clarifying words from the Bible-study lesson I’d completed earlier that morning into the fog of my confusion: Kindness is treating others the way you’d like to be treated. 

Like the caboose on a train, the Scripture that supported this truth followed right behind it: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12).

If I was sobbing my heart out because someone I loved was sick, I’d want someone to check on me. Speak a kind word. Pray with me.

I looked around, hoping someone would come along and rescue me. A lone nurse stood behind a Plexiglas shield. The corridor in both directions was empty. It was him and me. I was trapped by opportunity.

Lord, I feel awkward going up to a young man who is a stranger, especially a stranger who is crying. And besides, what would I say?

I heard no response from heaven. But the words from my study and Scripture pointed the direction. I knew what I had to do.

“Okay, Lord,” I whispered, “but you’ve got to give me courage—and the words to say.”

Before the elevator arrived or I could talk myself out of it, I took one step toward the crumpled man. The second step came easier, and soon I was crouching beside him.

“My name is Lori,” I said, laying a hand on his arm. “May I pray with you?”

He lifted his face and looked at me with grief-stricken eyes.

“Please.”

“What is your loved one’s name?” I asked.

“Mrs. Olson,” he said, sucking in a hiccupy breath. “She’s my mom.”

I closed my eyes and prayed, “Lord, make your presence very real to this dear man. Surround him with your peace. Bring healing if it is your will and comfort if it isn’t. Draw everyone in this family closer to your heart and extend your grace and mercy. In the strong name of Jesus I ask, Amen.”

“Thank you,” the man said, lifting his eyes to meet mine. “You don’t know what this means to me.”

“God is here,” I said. 

I stood just as a man came around the corner and called his name. Stepping back, I bumped into the nurse I’d seen earlier at her station.

“Thank you for doing that,” she said. “Thank you so much.”

I nodded and blinked back tears.

The elevator beeped. The doors opened, and I stepped in. I watched the numbered lights swiftly descend. 

“Thank you, Lord,” I whispered into my mask. “Thank you for using me, cowardly and selfish as I am, to bring a small measure of comfort to that poor man. Thank you for teaching me by your example what kindness looks like and giving me the courage to obey your nudge.”

Later that night I met with my Bible-study group. We read the first discussion question: How would you define kindness?

“Kindness,” I said, “is walking through the world with your eyes open, looking for those who need a touch from Jesus.”

Then I told them my story. 

“I wonder how many opportunities to extend kindness I’ve missed because I was so focused on me and my agenda,” I said. “I’m very thankful I didn’t miss this one.”

As the discussion swirled through the group, my thoughts drifted back to the grieving man in the hospital, and I offered up one more prayer.

Thank You, Father, for giving me the opportunity to minister in Your name. Forgive me for the times when I’ve been “too busy,” “too distracted,” or “too fearful” to reach out to others. Help me walk through life with my eyes wide open. May I never walk past a chance to extend kindness in Your name. 

—Written by Lori Hatcher. Used by permission from the author. Click here to connect with Lori.

23 Responses

  1. Thank you for sharing such an enlightening experience. A genuine act of kindness. It is important to truly open our eyes and see beyond the busyness in our lives. I pray to GOD to give me the eyes to see such and more.

  2. Thank you for sharing. I am guilty of walking through life and attending to my own agenda, knocking off my list/chores on my "to do list". Jesus, I ask that you make me more aware and attentive to situations and people around me, Amen.

    1. I think we all struggle with tunnel vision, Lucy. This is why it’s so important that we ask God to give us eyes to see. Thanks for reading today.

  3. This is so beautiful. It made me cry. Thank you for slowing down and listening to the Holy Spirit’s nudge.

  4. Thank you. I almost miss this as I had so much on my mind plus I just finish a long day at work. I hope I have your courage one day to help someone who needs a pray.
    God’s Blessing to you

  5. Wow. I am crying. That was fantastic and very humbling for me. I also am a coward and selfish. Thank you very much for this encouragement. God bless

  6. I love this & always wonder what opportunities I have miss because I was to busy to pay attention. Thanks for the reminder.

  7. Thank you for your touching story and your obedience to the Holy Spirit. I know there are times when I could of been used to show kindness and didn’t heed the call. So many missed opportunities.

  8. This is a beautifully written display of Christ’s kindness, just at the right time and place. Like C.S. Lewis says, make me just a little like Jesus. Amen!

  9. Great one!! And oh so needed in our society today!! I’m starting a Time to share grief group in 2 weeks…..I’ve gone through the pain and knows what it feels like when it seems no one cares. I pray I can bring Jesus to these hurting people…..

    Denise

  10. Beautiful! But how do you do that? In this day and age, with the palpable danger of hatred and division, bitterness and bad attitude, where most people carry confrontation on their sleeve at the-ready, when you live in an area where you don’t meet the racial ‘quota’, when you’re ‘other’, when the world cares more about their iPhone, their political stance and their abuse of their ‘PRIVILEGE’ to free speech??? How do you do that? "Human beings" are so scary anymore that I’d’ve chosen to pray for him from a distance like I do everyone and everything else.

  11. I just finished listening to a song that resonated within me. Trust His Heart was the song and I realized how much I wanted to do God’s will and yet I felt unequal to do as He bid me. Yet the song says strongly, "So when you don’t understand, When you don’t see His plan, When you can’t trace His hand…Trust His heart." The Lord is too wise to be mistaken and too good to be unkind. Precedes the first sentence, but makes me realize how God responds to us in mercy and kindness as we trust His heart and realize the importance of a kind word and touch to one in need.

  12. Lori, what a beautiful story that reminds us to look for opportunities to extend the love of Jesus to those we meet. Hurting people surround us.

  13. Thank you for sharing this. It was enlightening to see how He took you out of your comfort zone to offer comfort to someone else.

  14. Thank you for sharing your story. It has given me the courage to extend kindness to others by opening up my eyes to see those who may be in need of comfort, peace and prayer.

  15. Great example of being moved by the Spirit. You heard, you listened and there’s a song in your heart of kindness and compassion.
    Beautiful prayer you said for that young, hurting man.
    Lump in my throat and tears in my eyes as reading your story. God is Good
    God Bless

    1. What the Christian life is about! Listening for the Holy Spirit and acting on what you hear and sometimes a simple prayer please just use me Lord I don’t need to know when you do because My flesh might get to prideful.

  16. Thx for sharing. I’ve been the one crying before in the hospital and I know that meant the world to him. You were obedient to the Holy Spirit and God used you in a great way!

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