Lessons from a Stranger’s Kindness

A few weeks ago, I had a few extra minutes before the next thing on my calendar and decided to grab some coffee. Right ahead of me in the drive-through was a car decorated with bumper stickers. As I sat there waiting, I was reading the various statements. It didn’t take me long to observe this individual had a drastically different viewpoint from me. Quickly, I found myself thinking that I had very little in common with them and that if they knew what I believed, they probably wouldn’t care for me very much.

Then, I pulled up to the window to pay for my coffee. The lady informed me, “the man in front of you paid for your coffee.” I drove away feeling a variety of emotions. I was surprised, blessed, and convicted for my thinking. As I look back, I don’t ever remember a stranger paying for me. And now, this person who I had all these preconceived notions about had shown me unexpected and undeserved kindness.

I was immediately reminded of the admonition James gave to the church, “have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?” (James 2:4 NASB) God spoke to my heart and revealed how quick I am to judge others. I make assumptions on how people think, what they believe, and how they act. I forget that every person is both created and loved by God. When I am judging others, I am not reflecting God. In fact, I am displaying my selfish and sinful instincts.

In this season, one of my greatest challenges is learning to see things from God’s perspective. As God’s children, we are called to love Him and share that love with others. We cannot accomplish that purpose when our hearts and minds are full of self-centered thinking, unfair expectations, uninformed opinions, or biased criticism.

Looking back to James 2, we understand the church of James’s day was making distinctions between the rich and the poor. They were showing dishonor to those who had less financial resources and treating them with discrimination. Listen to what James tells them, “If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law yet stumbles at any one point, has become guilty of all.” (James 2:8-10)

Judging others is just plain wrong. God takes it very seriously. Often Christians try to justify certain behavior. We think if we can explain our motives, it makes certain attitudes okay. But that is not the case. If we are not thinking and acting out of love, we are guilty of partiality and judgment.

My experience in the coffee line reminded me that sometimes blessings come from unexpected sources, and I have no way of knowing what is in the mind of another person. I cannot see their heart or their motives. I can only examine my own motives to see if they are reflecting God’s love.

God used the man who kindly paid for my coffee to teach me an important lesson – any form of judgment is wrong. I wonder what would change in my life if I judged less and loved more… I wonder what doors God would open… I wonder how my impact would increase…

And I wonder what would happen if every person who claimed the name “Christian” lived without partiality… What impact would it have in the world? How many more people would be transformed by the power of God’s love?