“On Tying My Shoes for Me”
Joel, your mom and dad are encouraging us to write you a brief note with some word of encouragement and/or a verse of Scripture as a way of celebrating your twelfth birthday. At age twelve—or at any age, for that matter—encouraging words and Scripture are helpful. I wasn’t sure what to write until last night when you helped me on with my shoes.
I was dizzy and not feeling well. My wife and I were getting ready to leave the party, and I was struggling to put on my shoes. You saw that I was having trouble, and you came over to help me get my foot in my right shoe. Then you asked, “Would you like me to tie your shoes for you?”
“Yes,” I replied. “that would be very helpful!”
My heart was deeply touched by your practical kindness. Seeing what needs to be done and doing it for ourselves and others is most of what life is about. That you would be so observant and so kind at the age of twelve is an amazing testimony to who you already are and to the person you are becoming.
In Matthew 25:31-40, the LORD Jesus Christ speaks of serving him by serving others. The righteous ones didn’t even realize that they were serving Christ by serving “the least of these, my brothers”, as Jesus calls them. But they were serving Christ. I am most certainly one of the least, and you served me. And by serving me, you served Christ as well.
But your not-so-little kindness didn’t just tie my shoes and touch my heart. It also awakened and strengthened my desire to be more attentive to others and their needs. All my life I’ve struggled with selfishness. Your thoughtful attention to an uncomfortable detail of my life makes me want to be a more thoughtful person toward others.
The best deeds are those which both serve others and inspire them to serve others. Well done, my young shoe-tier! Well done!
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