For a brief moment, we considered the possibility they were taking us somewhere to kill and dispose of us. We risked it anyway and followed them. After all, they were the ones who saw us and refused to leave when my bike broke down. They were the ones who called someone over to fix my bike. They were the ones who caught up with us and asked if they could ride with us after my bike was fixed. Plus they were probably ten years old, super cute, and my friend and I are suckers for sweet faces. We told them we were hoping they would find us to ride bikes together, and we happily granted their request.
They knew the trail like the back of their hands. They told us to follow them, and we did… through curves, beside streams, and through the woods. Eventually, we told them we needed to get back to our campsite and our families. We rode and rode and wondered if they really knew where we were or if we were all lost. But then we looked up and noticed they had brought us to our camping area at the state park. They had brought us back to where we needed to be.
Now our new friends’ picture now hangs on my wall.
Not only did these kids “good Samaritan” us out of trouble, they topped it off with hospitality like a cherry on an ice-cream sundae.
That’s what we are called to do, right? Not only are we to be kind and helpful, but we are to take it a step further and add the cherry on top. So often, I find myself feeling out of time, out of energy, and out of motivation to mirror this action.
Wouldn’t it be cool to always be as kind, welcoming, and helpful today as our young biking friends on that day? May we be willing to not just lend a hand to those in need, but welcome them in our lives, even if it is for just a moment. May we throw excuses out the window and add a cherry on top by riding the extra mile with someone new.
The unknown author of Hebrews penned a powerful reminder for us to think about today in our daily steps of life:
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
May your encounters with strangers today be blessed, fun, and have a sweet cherry on top.
Beth Brinkmeyer 