Pastor John R Ramsey once wrote, “For some time I have had a person provide me with a rose boutonniere to pin on the lapel of my suit every Sunday. Because I always got a flower on Sunday morning, I really did not think much of it. It was a nice gesture that I appreciated, but it became routine. One Sunday morning as I was leaving the service, a small boy came up to me and said, “Pastor, what are you gong to do with that flower?” Before I could answer, he said, “I would like it if you are just going to throw it away.” At this point I smiled and told him he could have my flower. Then I asked him what he was going to do with it.
The little boy was probably less than 10 years old. H elooked up at me and said, “Sir, I’m going to give it to my granny. My mother and father got divorced last year. I was living with my mother, but when she married again, she wanted me to go to live with my father. I lived with him for a while, but he said I couldn’t stay, so he sent me to life with my grandmother. She is so good to me. She cooks for me and takes care of me. She ha been so good to me that I want to give that pretty flower to her for loving me.”
When the little boy finished, I could hardly speak, I was so moved. I reached up and unpinned my flower. I looked at the boy and said, “Son, that’s the nicest thing I have ever heard, but you can’t have this flower because it’s not enough. If you’ll look in front of the pulpit, you’ll see a big bouquet of flowers. I want you to take those to your granny because she deserves the very best.”
If Pastor Ramsey hadn’t been touched enough already, the boy made one last statement that he will always remember. He said, “What a wonderful day! I asked for one flower and got a whole bunch!”
How often do you brighten up the lives of others with special acts of kindness? How often do you look for opportunities to touch someone with God’s love?
Just like this pastor, you can make a difference in the lives of people.