“From the Hart” Devotional for August 1, 2024

“There But for the Grace of God”
by Julie Hart, Director of Connectional Ministries

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” ~ Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

As I sit drinking my morning coffee and planning out my day, I have a much different perspective than when I was drinking coffee and planning my day out yesterday. Yesterday, I was heading home from teaching Bible study at Las Ventanas when a car went through a red light and sent me flying! When I finally landed across the road, upside-down and sideways, I couldn’t see anything but pavement. I braced myself for the inevitable hits to come. Thankfully, there were no more impacts.  So there I was, hanging upside-down by my seatbelt wondering how I was going to get out of my car, I heard men shouting “Are you OK?” They pried open my door, got my seatbelt off, and helped me out of the car to the island.

The men surrounding me began asking all kinds of questions. Then I heard one question from the man who had hit me. “Would it be okay if I prayed for you?” “YES!!,” I replied. And we sat holding each other’s hands praying and thanking God for keeping us safe.

By the time I looked up, emergency vehicles were arriving. I later learned that my smart watch called 911 when it recognized I had been in an accident. Witnesses came and gave me their names and numbers. Two men retrieved my work bag and glasses that I was fretting about. One man even walked across the street to offer me his banana chocolate milkshake that he had just gotten. Every single person from the passers-by, firefighters, paramedics, nurses, doctors, and hospital techs was so kind and helpful.

When the police officer came to the hospital hours later to get my statement, he kept referring to the other driver as the “perpetrator.”  I told him that he was not a perpetrator. He is a child of God who made a mistake.

I have been in text contact with the other driver. I assured him that he was forgiven and that had no hard feelings. When I thanked him for praying for me he said that he is an evangelist and that was all he knew to do. I told him that the two of us sitting on an island amid that chaos holding hands and praying together was a witness to the others who were at the scene. We walked away with grateful hearts. But perhaps some of them walked away wondering a little bit more about faith and God.

Ephesians 4:32 reminds us to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving, just as God forgives us through Christ. In the midst of our daily lives, and especially when faced with unexpected trials, we are given opportunities to reflect God’s grace and mercy. The kindness and compassion I experienced were powerful reminders of how we can uplift one another, even in the most trying circumstances.

I have no questions for you this week. But, as you go about your day, remember that each interaction is a chance to extend kindness and compassion, reflecting the forgiveness and love that Christ shows us. May we, like the strangers who came to my aid, be instruments of God’s grace and sources of comfort to those around us.

Prayer: Gracious and loving God, thank You for the grace and mercy You show us daily. Help us to embody Your kindness and compassion in every interaction. Teach us to forgive as You have forgiven us and to be a source of light and hope in moments of darkness. May our lives be a testament to Your love, reflecting the beauty of Your forgiveness. Amen.