By 
The smallest gesture of kindness can refresh someone’s soul.
While waiting for assistance recently, a young adult with a developmental disability suddenly announced to me, “My daddy just died from COVID.”
“Oh, I’m so very sorry!” I replied.
With that she walked over, knelt, and laid her head on my table in sadness. I stroked her shoulders and we grieved together in silence. What connected us? I’m not certain; but I think I had smiled at her, a very small but apparently meaningful gesture.
Scripture offers us glimpses of similar moments of soul connectedness through kindness. A recent Womenary class studied a dark time in Israel’s history—a time when judges ruled, and everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25, NKJV). As we studied, we witnessed mankind’s depravity chapter-by-chapter. The class also included the book of Ruth, which many scholars believe occurred during the same dark time of the judges. Perhaps that’s why this redemptive story starkly contrasts so brightly with the harsh realities of that era.
As the story goes, an obscure moment of kindness, a simple greeting, shone among the tragedy of famine, widowhood, and poverty. As Boaz arrived to check on his reapers, he addressed them with “The LORD be with you!” (Ruth 2:4, NIV). These five words acknowledged the workers’ presence, their humanity, and their value. The greeting also provided a moment of affirmation that surely lifted their spirits during their back-breaking labor.
Many years later, during the reign of Israel’s first king, we see a similar blessing. Jonathan, King Saul’s son, uses Boaz’s words when he sends David into hiding from his father: “May the LORD be with you” (1 Samuel 20:13, NIV).
David, in turn, encouraged his son Solomon when he charged him to build the temple: “Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the LORD your God, as he said you would” (1 Chronicles 22:11-13, NIV).
Notice that after Jesus Christ inhabited the hearts of believers through the Holy Spirit, we encounter an abundance of kindnesses and blessings sprinkled throughout the New Testament. Jesus described what we should expect when God’s presence is with us. He explained to His disciples just before His crucifixion: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27, NIV). Jesus’ post-resurrection greeting to the disciples, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19, NIV), reminds them of the very thing He’d promised them just a few days prior.
The Apostle Paul is especially prolific with his grace-filled words. Reading them along with John’s and Peter’s touched my heart and reminded me of the power of words, especially words of kindness among believers.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 16:23-24, NIV).
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit (Philippians 4:23, NIV).
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (1 Thessalonians 5:28, NIV).
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you (2 Thessalonians 3:16, NIV).
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all (2 Thessalonians 3:18, NIV).
The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all (2 Timothy 4:22, NIV).
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen (Romans 16:24, KJV).
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:13, NIV).
Grace and peace be yours in abundance (1 Peter 1:2, NIV).
Peace be with all of you who are in Christ (1 Peter 5:14, NLT).
The Apostle John closed his Revelation with a similar blessing. His words bring our thoughts right back to Boaz, that godly man who became part of the lineage of Jesus Christ. John’s words of blessing aredirected to each one of us—if we’ve accepted Jesus as our Lord. His closing words offer those resounding expressions of hope and peace: The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen (Revelation 22:21, NIV).
And, truly, His grace is with us! Father, open our eyes to see it, acknowledge it, experience it, and to pass it on!
The Grace of our Lord Jesus be with you all!
Linda Lesniewski
Linda served as Women’s Minister at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, TX for 24 years. She has authored "A Little Book About Knowing a Big God" for children; "Women at the Cross" and "Connecting Women: A Guide for Leaders in Women’s Ministry", by Revell; as well as "His Story My Story", a digital download available from LifeWay. Linda enjoys spending time with her four young adult children and six granddaughters. She has served on the Womenary Board of Directors for many years.
You can contact Linda at lindalesniewski49@gmail.com.
