Random Act of Kindness by Shirley Surtani Gomez
Our guest blogger today is Shirley Surtani Gomez. Shirley is a blogger and a college-level teacher of “English as a Second Language.” Shirley recently moved to the Nashville, Tennessee area after many years of living in Dallas Ft. Worth and serving as an ESL professor at Dallas Baptist University.
Before you all get misled into believing that it was I who committed this random act of kindness, let me say, right off the bat, that the Good Samaritan was not me.
It was showering as I was driving home from work last Thursday. I was at a stoplight, waiting to make a left turn when I noticed a man get out of his car. He quickly made his way to the car next to his and closed its hood. For whatever reason, the hood of the car was open and this man decided to brave the rain and close the hood. It may have taken him about a minute but the impact of his gesture, I’m sure, will last a lifetime for the driver of the stranded car. I’m no mechanic, so I don’t know if water coming into the hood could have caused even a slight damage to the engine. But I do know that this man, who didn’t have to do this, chose to do so. I immediately felt impelled to write about this, especially since this type of kindness is quite rare, especially in the world we live in today, where I, Me, and My are pronouns that take precedence over others.
How many of us would have done the same thing? I know I wouldn’t. I just wanted to get home and avoid getting soaked in the rain. But this small act of kindness taught me that there are selfless people who daily choose to put others before themselves. Putting others before ourselves does not always come easily or naturally. In fact, it can be difficult especially because the human urge within us is to think of ourselves first. I wish I could confidently say that I value others more than myself, but the truth is, I don’t always do. And if you were completely honest, you probably would admit to feeling the same way. I believe most people would.
But I do know of someone who has loved and continues to love selflessly—our Lord. He who laid his life for us not only committed a selfless act, but in doing so, paved the way for us to have a relationship with God. He who has committed the ultimate act of selflessness has asked us to follow his example and consider others before ourselves, to put their needs and desires before ours. But even if we don’t do so, His love for us still remains strong and selfless. Doing good may not always be easy, but it is not impossible, especially if you know the very source of all goodness. So, whose hood are you closing today?
God Bless,
Shirley Gomez
Shirley Gomez
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