The above picture is of the grandkids and me heading off to our first day of Vacation Bible School at our church, located at the bottom of the hill we live on. The kids and I like to walk down to VBS every morning and trudge back up the hill after the hot lunch provided for all the VBS kids!
At the bottom of the hill, we have to cross a two-lane country road, which is the only access in and out of our area, so it’s busy in the morning. Where we live there are no stoplights or crosswalks, so the kids and I stand patiently waiting for our chance to cross the street. When there’s a clearing in the “traffic,” we hold hands and walk across the road to church. As a side note, we live in a rural area, so I use the term “traffic” very loosely!
Several mornings, the kids and I were surprised and elated that cars going both directions simultaneously stopped to let us walk across the road. They were literally stopping traffic for us. We waved a thank you, and in true country fashion, the drivers waved back with a nod of the head conveying: no problem . . . our pleasure . . . have a fun day. We probably looked like a protective mamma duck and her little ducklings trying to cross the road.
One morning as cars were stopped for us to cross the road, 8 year-old Brandon intuitively commented, “Grammie, you know those people who stop for us . . . they are people of character!” I was truly stunned to hear such wisdom coming from my precious little grandson, who gave his heart to Jesus at VBS. I told Brandon that he was exactly right; they truly were people of character. Then I mused that those kind motorists had no idea the impression they had just made on this little guy.
Brandon’s definition of a person of character seems to be someone who does the right thing: goes out of their way to help others, even if it’s inconvenient. A person who sees someone in need and stops to help, even if it makes him or her late, or others are irritated with their act of kindness. Someone who thinks of others needs before their own needs and are always looking for people to help or assist. It made me wonder how many people I influence every day by my actions and my deeds. Would I be considered a woman of character . . . all the time? Am I always looking out for someone, literally or figuratively, standing on the side of the road needing someone to stop and notice his or her dilemma?
In busy towns, I’ve seen so many motorists who barely let someone cross in front of them in a crosswalk before rushing on through or making an impatient turn when pedestrians just clear the front of their car. These could be drivers headed to church or late for a small group meeting or rushing to do good, while not seeing the good they could do right in front of them.
It makes you think doesn’t it?
Speaking of people of character, my husband Dave’s story of being a father who follows The Father was featured on Father’s Day at The M.O.M Initiative. So proud of the godly husband, father, and grampa he is as the Spiritual Leader of our family. Now that’s a man of character!
