How Do You Act?

I am traveling again this week (as I do about 50% of the time).  As I have mentioned before, I don’t really like to be away from my family this much but currently my job requires this of me.  I can (and do, and have!) had a “bad attitude” about the whole situation – travelling, being away from my family, sleeping in a strange city, etc.

But lately I have made the decision to choose not to.

I choose instead to take advantage of this time to be a blessing to others.

This sounds different I know… but here are two things I focus my attention on while I am traveling:

#1 – When I am in the airport, I go out of my way to speak nicely to everyone I see.  I don’t do this in a “fake” or “phony” way; I have actual compassion for those that I am dealing with. Why? Well, for starters, most airport workers (whether in the food shop or the gate agent) deal with people all day long.  Now, based on your experience of seeing these same people that they do – the one’s you are traveling with, how do they act?  How do you see your fellow travelers speak to airport employees?  I see more gruff than kindness. I see less Real Christians and more entitlement.  I used to be this way too, don’t get me wrong, but since my eyes have been opened to what is going on around me, and since I am recognizing the Holy Spirit that is in me more each day, I more frequently take the other side of the coin and try to be someone that spreads joy instead of gloom.

#2 – Whenever I am walking in the airport, I just start smiling.  Boy that sounds different doesn’t it?  It isn’t a fake smile, but more of a genuine smile.  How would you react if you saw someone that was smiling?  Think about when you are traveling, walking down the gate areas, everyone hustling, moving quickly, etc.  Do you see many people smiling?  I realize that most of us have “places to go”, and that it might be awkward if a fellow traveler (a stranger at that!) smiled at you, but what a difference it could make if you did that!  It causes others to wonder, some smile back, and you actually end up feeling better (I know that I do).

I will end this with a verse that we have all heard before – I Thessalonians 5:16 “Be joyful always”.

Worth remembering,

And worth doing.

What things do you do at the airport – or could you do – that show God’s love to others?