Be the miracle

I walked up to the cash to pay for my groceries today and overheard my son being scolded by the cashier. He was pushing a button he wasn't supposed to be pushing and she let him know it. I have no problem with her correcting my son - he needs a good correcting once in awhile (ha). But it was the way she said it that could have turned me off. I stood there as she scolded him a second time and then turned to me to let me know her disapproval and how bad of a day she was having. I brushed it off and politely said, "that's ok...no problem.", I showed her I understood, and smiled. A few seconds later her whole tone changed and she engaged in friendly conversation with me. What if I had not been polite to her and had given her a glare or roll of the eyes (as I have done in similar situations before), thinking to myself, "Whoa, lady...chill."? I probably would have fueled the fire and made her feel worse about her day. But today I learned a lesson...it doesn't take much at all to be something to someone.

Let me explain a different way...

Often times I find myself wondering how many people I meet on a daily basis who have deep pressing needs in their lives. These needs are masked over by the snippy remark, or the impatient horn beep, or the scowling face, or the need to look away when someone smiles. It goes much deeper than what we see with our natural eyes.


This got me thinking...about being a "miracle" (so to speak) to someone. Being the answer they need to hear in that moment; being their miracle. We have no idea what people are going through and there is quite possibly so much we can offer them.

Then I thought, well, maybe it's a little over-the-top to suggest that we could be a miracle to someone any time of day, any day of the week - every day, if we wanted. Because if we're going to call it a miracle, it has to be like Moses parting the waters, or something gigantic like that, right? I guess that would depend on the person receiving the miracle. Something that one person calls common, may be miraculous to someone else. I don't think there's a definite standard.

Webster defines miracle as, "an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs".

After reading that definition, it makes total sense that we would be able to bring "miracles" into peoples' lives. Total sense. We are, after all, carriers of Christ. We have what people need.

Honestly, I think the main thing that stops us from being the miracle to those around us is that we kinda spend alot of time trying to find our miracle. (ouch..that one hurt...) I would dare say that most of us are so focused on our own survival, meeting our own needs, caring for our own wounds, fulfilling our own dreams, that we forget (or are not able) to stop and pay attention to the "needy" right in front of us every day.


So how can you be a miracle to someone?

It may be much simpler than you think. And the ways are endless.

Buy someone a coffee.

Say hello.

Smile.

Diffuse their anger with a nice comment.


Just be open and pay attention. You have the answer someone needs.