“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” — John 13:35
In a recent ATP tournament, Spanish tennis player Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina took a scary fall when his foot slipped on the always-unpredictable clay surface. His opponent, Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France, immediately walked up toward the net to see if Davidovich-Fokina was all right. He, along with the entire stadium, was relieved to see Davidovich-Fokina get up and appear to be OK. Although slightly shaken up, he didn’t seem hurt.
On the change-over, Davidovich-Fokina took his towel and was trying to brush the clay off of himself following the tumble. It was all up and down the back of his shirt, as well as his shorts. As Herbert walked past to his own bench, he noticed Davidovich-Fokina struggling to get all the clay off his back where it was hard to reach. In an unexpected gesture of sportsmanship, Herbert came over, took the towel and began to help dust Alejandro off. The crowd, touched by the act of kindness, gave a warm applause. It was a wonderful moment.
When others take a hard fall in life, are you the first one there to help them up? Do you look for opportunities to dust off a friend? Do you make your life about the little things?
We are all presented with moments along the way where we have the choice to do more than just the minimum. I’m sure we’ve all had times when we’ve just done what was appropriate and no more, and later wondered if we could have pushed ourselves to go the extra mile.
Jesus actually addressed this when He told his disciples that, “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles”(Matthew 5:41). The thing that sets Christ-followers apart is their willingness to do the additional. To go beyond what seems acceptable.
To be the one working harder at what you do than everyone else. To be the one staying later or looking for extra ways to be helpful. To be the first one meeting a need. To be the last one through the food line to make sure everyone else is served. To leave only after seeing if the others have a ride. To not leave a friend to walk home alone. Whatever the opportunity, you have the chance to show Christ by your eagerness to do more and to be more.
Herbert didn’t have to go help Davidovich-Fokina. And nobody says you have to do the extra either. But you have the gift of that moment to do the additional because you want to. People will notice the difference in you by your willingness to pay attention to the little things. To be the hands and feet of Jesus who always went out of His way to serve and love others.
— Katherine Singer
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