Three Minutes

Comfort.  All those pairs of big brown eyes staring into ours, seeking reassurance.  We offered a smile, a kind word and comfort. 

The day was hot and a bit sticky.  Children filled the room, squirming on the laps of their loving mamas, here for their nourishment assessment. 

Josh and I were in charge of taking their height measurement.  Using our limited Spanish, we would encourage these little ones to stand with their backs straight against the wall, feet together, and to look straight into our eyes while we took their height. 

Demonstrating for the little ones how to stand tall for their height measurement

Josh would make funny faces and talk in silly voices to try to get them to crack a smile while I would gently cradle their chins in my hands to make full-on eye contact.  Many smiled wide and belly-laughed.  

Many didn't.

That was hard.  I'm not going to sugar-coat it.  It was simply flat-out painful to give our very best in the "make a child smile" department, which never fails with all of the children we know, only to be met with an empty stare.  Scratch that.  Not empty...broken, perhaps?  Tired?  Pained, broken and disappointed?  Fearful and maybe even collapsed.  

What could we do?  You see, we had that moment.  That one moment.  That specific span of three minutes was gifted to us by God with each child.  And so what did we do?  We poured out the love of Christ beyond language barriers in every possible way for that three minutes.  We smiled.  We looked fully into those beautiful child-eyes and communicated without words that they are loved by God.  We gently tied the laces of shoes two sizes too small back onto battered feet.

You have a day today.  It is not yours; it has been gifted to you by your Creator.

You have three minutes, after three minutes, after three minutes with so many different people that your life will touch today.  


What will you do with those three minutes?  What can you do?

You can pour out the love of Christ again and again and again, smiling wide, offering comfort and looking fully into the eyes of others communicating that they are loved by God.  You can gently tie the laces of shoes onto feet worn from battle.  You can take an uncertain hand and give a reassuring squeeze. 

Three minutes.  Don't let it slip away. 

Redeem it for the glory of God.

Enjoy today,

P.S.  You are welcome here!  Thank you for stopping by for a visit.  Feel free to  join the conversation by leaving a comment and sharing your thoughts.