Today's Sermon - Ask, Seek, Knock Sermon from Luke - Luke 11:1-13

Ask/Seek/Knock

(based on Luke 11:1-13)

A young man was leaving a building one day when he received a text message on his cell phone.  The message instructed him to pick up a package at an unfamiliar company with a 12-syllable, tongue-twisting name.  The young man looked skyward and sighed aloud, “God, where am I supposed to go?”  Just then his cell phone lit up again, this time the text included the client’s address.

A man nearby sitting on a bench outside the office building witnessed this scene.  Raising his arms to the heavens, he cried, “Why don’t you ever answer me like that?”

We encountered a similar passage to the one we read this morning from Luke, earlier this year during Lent.  The passage in Matthew, Chapter 7 occurred in the middle of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount text.  Here, it comes again right after Jesus was asked to teach his disciples how to pray.  I think it’s significant that Luke repeats it, particularly in this context.  The first time we read it in Matthew, it was used in the midst of a list of things that we are to be doing or how we are to act.  Here, it comes as part of how we are to pray.

And here are Christ’s instructions:  

We must be committed to seeking first God’s kingdom and God’s glory, so that our prayers are properly motivated and directed and not just for the purpose of making us happy or satisfying our selfish desires.  Instead, they should be directed for the purpose of seeing God’s name hallowed and His kingdom brought about on the earth.  Afterall, this is the first thing that Jesus includes in the opening to the Lord’s Prayer.

In this context, Jesus tells a humorous parable to teach that we should approach God with boldness, persisting until we obtain what we need in order to minister to our friends.  Then He applies that parable by telling us to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking in prayer until we obtain the answer we need.  Next, Jesus shifts the picture with a ludicrous, but memorable, illustration of a boy asking his father for a fish or an egg.  The father would not give his son a snake or a scorpion!  And finally, Jesus applies this illustration by saying that if we, being evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more shall the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.

The emphasis in this whole section is on receiving answers to our prayers.  The friend at midnight did not go away empty-handed.  He got the bread that he came for, illustrating that the one who keeps asking, seeking, and knocking will receive what he or she is after.  The story of the father and his son makes the same point: the boy will get what he asks from his father.  In explaining to the disciple who asked how to pray, Jesus explains that God wants us to come to Him and keep on coming to Him until we are in line with the purpose of the Kingdom and He gives us what we need.

Here’s where I have to stop for a moment and question Jesus in this passage from Luke.  It is all well and good when we are asking Jesus for a new job because the one we have doesn’t pay enough to support our family, or when we ask God to bless our Youth Outreach to children in our community, or even some that are borderline selfish, like asking God for calmness in a conflict situation or when taking an exam.  This passage tells us to be bold and persistent and in response, God, being a good and generous God, will give us what we need. 

But many of our prayers that we ask for continually each Sunday in corporate prayer, or everyday in private prayer are for the health and healing of people we love.  Some will be healed and will go on with their lives, leaving loved ones relieved and thankful.  And quite honestly, some will not.  They will die, leaving those of us who loved them with this pit of grief and sadness, often questioning even the existence of God.  How does that fit in with this passage?  How can it be fair from a good and generous God to a young boy of 7 years old to lose his father or mother?  How can it be fair from a good and generous God for a young couple to lose their baby to cancer?  That sounds a whole lot more like the father who gave his son a snake when all the son wanted was a fish or a scorpion when he wanted an egg.

This is where my fundamentalist/evangelical roots in Christianity and my theological training and intellectually questioning brain diverge.  The first me seeks to find a relatively easy, light answer that doesn’t question God, but rather assumes God knows all and is wise, certainly knows better than I.  So, the doubts and grief I’m experiencing are insignificant to the wonder and glory of God and I should just pray, even those things - the doubts and the pain, away.  The second me, wants to know why God allows this to happen, wants to know what possible purpose it might serves, wants to question God’s role then in not just the big issues in life, but every single insignificant aspect of every choice and decision, every move and countermove that occurs.

These two “me’s” the fundamentalist me and the theological me approach this topic from completely different sides.  One wants to hand it all over to God, sort of like Joseph in the Old Testament.  Regardless of the horrible things that happened to him, he always knew that God was with him.  He always gave every bad thing a positive spin, knowing that God’s hand was at work, ultimately bringing him the blessings he so desired.  The other me wants to doubt and question every move God makes.  And then in the night, all night long, wrestle with God like Jacob did until I am even further wounded from the fight and yet, in the end know that God has given me his blessing.

The interesting thing, when you think about it, both “me’s” do the same thing.  They are bold in their requests.  They come to God in prayer, persistently asking, searching, knocking for answers.

The first non-questioning me asks for, searches, and knocks on heaven’s door for relief from the grief and pain, asking that it be replaced with a simple peace and to just rest in the knowledge that I will never understand the ways of heaven. 

The second all-questioning me asks for, searches, knocks on heaven’s door for some glimmer of understanding, for some explanation for why bad things happen, why we must live with this pain and grief, why someone we love dies? 

Oddly enough, over time, I’ve realized that although these two me’s come at the subject from polar opposite ends; searching for either relief or answers to grief and pain, they ultimately come to the same conclusion.  One finds a door that offers peace with little answers.  The other finds a door that offers just a piece of the puzzle that is God, a glimpse of understanding.  But both find satisfaction in knowing what Jesus said in his prayer, “Thy Will Be Done.” 

Regardless of how you approach God, Jesus’ teaching about prayer is to ask – because it is only in asking that we are given an answer.  Search – because only in searching will we find.  And knock – because only in knocking will a door be opened to us.  It doesn’t really matter what you ask, or how you seek, or what door you knock upon, as long as you are bold and persistent to be heard by God and found in God’s presence.

I’ll conclude with this humorous story:

A dad with a three-year-old son had just gone through the bedtime routine of reading a story, listening to his prayers, answering a dozen questions, giving him a hug, and saying good-night four or five times before slipping out of the room. Finally, after a long, hard day, he could relax.

He sat down in his easy chair and it was quiet for about five minutes before he heard, “Daddy, can I have a drink of water?”  He said, “No, son, be quiet and go to sleep.”  It was quiet for a couple of minutes before, louder than before, he heard, “Daddy, can I have a drink of water?”  “Son, I said to be quiet and go to sleep!”  There was silence again, but it didn’t last long.  “Daddy, please can I have a drink of water?”  The dad could see that he wasn’t getting anywhere, so he said, “Son, if I hear one more sound out of that room, I’m going to spank you!”  You could hear a pin drop.  The silence was thick for about one minute.  Then he heard, “Daddy, when you come in here to spank me, would you please bring me a drink of water?”  Now the dad knew that his son really was thirsty!  Why?  Because he was boldly persistent in his request.

Today's Sermon - The Hope of Glory - 7/21/19

The Hope of Glory

(based on Amos 8:1-12, Colossians 1:15-29)

Amos was a prophet from Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel.  However, unlike some of the major prophets we might know well like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, Amos was not a lifelong prophet, but rather a situational prophet being called out by God for a short period of time to prophesy to the Israelites about their treatment of the poor.  And that’s what the book of Amos is all about; how the Israelites were treating the poor.  God was NOT at all pleased.  And I imagine that displeasure leaked out into the attitude and demeanor that Amos projected to the people – a forecasting of gloom and doom for the Israelites.

It reminds me of a street preacher who used to stand in Market Square downtown Pittsburgh every day.  He would literally stand on a soap box and proclaim that the world was going to end in the next couple of days.  I rarely go downtown anymore, and this was many years ago, so I’m not sure if he is still there on the weekdays or if someone else has taken his place. 

It was interesting to watch people’s reactions to his shouting style of preaching: some would literally cross the street or go around the square to avoid him, some would lower their heads as they walked by, and there were a few brave souls who would try to take him on and argue with him.  But, I can tell you, he could out shout anyone…except maybe Amos…if they were pitted against one another in a soap-box-prophesy-preacher challenge.

In these passages from Amos that we read this morning, he is, once again, admonishing the Israelites.  Actually, Amos might be considered the first voice of a social conscience in the world; he preached social justice before we even knew what social justice was all about.  He is shaming the Israelites for the way they were treating the poor.  And he’s doing it right in the middle of the marketplace, since most of the merchants were of the noble class, Amos is particularly hard on them…and they are not too happy to have this straggly-bearded, bombastic old man slandering them.  They would just as soon he fall in a hole somewhere and disappear forever.  I imagine this is probably the same feeling many of the merchants had about the street preacher who kept yelling at folks in Market Square.

How many of you have heard about the Prayer of Jabez?  About 20 years ago, this two verse prayer became the basis of a book, which became an instant hit and an international bestseller the second Bruce Wilkerson took an obscure prayer out of the OT and made an entire ministry out of it.  His book about the Prayer of Jabez sold over 9 million copies.  The prayer goes something like this in 1 Chronicles 4:10: Jabez cried out to God, “Oh that You might bless me indeed and enlarge my territory!  Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from the evil one.”  And God granted his request.

Well, nearly 3,000 years ago, in the time of Amos’ prophesying, money and wealth were also considered rewards from God for living a righteous life.  This is not unlike the 'Prosperity Gospel', which a number of modern-day preachers have extolled over the past 20 years (while getting very rich themselves doing so!  I might add) "The more you have, the more God loves you" is their common mantra. "If you are doing well, it shows God’s approval. . . God wants you to have a big house and fancy car and pleasure yacht!" 

But Amos, on the other hand, seemed determined to tear down this cultural norm.  Amos wasn’t necessarily against the wealth of the rich.  He didn’t want everyone to be poor.  But he ranted about the accumulation of wealth at the expense of the poor, the homeless, the hungry, the ill, the elderly ….all of those who were without a voice, a protector, a way to provide for themselves.

I can imagine the merchants and nobles sitting around grumbling to one another because they could not open their shops, beating their breasts about the money they were losing, and plotting how to make up for it.  Even Amos 8:5 portends an economy that understands how to gouge the buyer in order for the merchant to prosper even more.  It says, "Let’s make the ephah small and the shekel great". (Amos 8:5)  What does this mean?  The Ephah was a unit of measure, like a bushel.  While the shekel was a unit of payment, like a silver coin.  So, the expression means to decrease the measurement, while you increase the price.

Just like selling products more cheaply today…products that are shoddy and easily fall apart, made by someone on a poverty wage in a foreign country . . .a practice that is also taking away the jobs from our own neighbors . . . causing them to need cheaper and cheaper products; . . .an endless cycle that is not easily addressed if the truly rich have anything to say about it. 

In addition, during the time of Amos they were "buying the poor for silver", in other words; because the poor were so needy, they were going to be "righteous" and hire them for just enough money to keep them indebted, but not enough to get them out of debt.  This brings to mind the old company houses that used to exist in coal mine towns or on large plantations during Reconstruction.  Or even today.

Some of you might know that I take applications for the Lazarus Fund.  A fund given out through Pittsburgh Presbytery, which has given out nearly $3 million dollars over the past 20 years in $200 individual grants to those in need of utility shut-off and rent eviction assistance.  I’ve teamed up with Elizabeth’s Guardian Angels to help those in our area with a matching grant.  One of the applicants came to me because he and his wife received an eviction notice.  Through the application process I learned that they worked for a convenience store whose owner paid them minimum wage, but when they started to get into financial difficulty told them that he’d allow them to get groceries and staples at the store, put it on a tab that they could pay back.  Their needs were so great with two children at home that they quickly racked up a large tab on things like toilet paper and canned tuna, diapers and boxed lunches.  The owner than started taking it out of their weekly paycheck.  When they came to me for assistance, they showed me paystubs for the past month.  One week of work, $2.10.  Another week of work, $4.05, etc…

Amos’ message isn’t one from a culture and situation from the past.  It’s happening today.  “And they bought the needy for the price of a pair of sandals”… Amos tells us.  I could substitute today’s scenario, “And they bought the needy for a box of diapers.”  Think how distraught and desperate a young couple would have to be in order to be bought for such little money $2.10 for a week’s worth of work in today’s dollars in order to have diapers for their children.

How arrogant and cruel to indenture another human being for such a small thing as diapers.  But that is what our society is doing when we hook people on welfare, or other needed assistance – giving them just enough to subsist but not enough to make a better life. 

Now, if you think I’m only talking about those who “work the system” or “those who don’t want to work”, I’m not.  I know how hard some of these folk try.  I know, while I sit with them in their tears and their pain of doing the best they can and still it means nothing.  Oh, believe me, I know the difference, because I’ve also sat with those who come in with an attitude and expect a hand-out before they leave the door.

Even our own soldiers risking their lives in the Middle East and in other parts of the world are only getting an average of $1500 a month in wages, forcing their wives and children to depend on their families for help just to exist.  Should Amos be railing at us about this situation? I think he would be standing on the top of the Capitol Dome in Washington yelling his lungs out!!

Amos warns that if the Israelites don’t change their ways, there is going to be rumblings of the earth and upheavals like the flooding of the Nile.  Or maybe he meant that the oppressed would rise up, there would be people protesting in the streets against unjust conditions. 

I don’t really care how high the Dow Jones Industrial Average gets, if we aren’t doing enough to help the poor in our country.  Do we sit here, fat, dumb and happy, because our economy is growing due to the wealth generated by big business as it wages war on the poor?  Because our earthly stock is going up? 

God sent Amos to rail against such indexes 3,000 years ago to a country who was dead-set on prosperity for the rich at the expense of the poor.  Where is God’s Amos today?  God’s Amos is in the Christ of the Colossian gospel.  We are to be following the son of God, the Christ of the Gospels, the one who Paul introduces to the people of Colossae through their preacher, Epaphras.  Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God.  The first-born of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers – all things have been created through him and for him.  In him and only in him do all things hold together.  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, by making peace through his blood on the cross.

Have we seriously not learned anything in all this time?  Perhaps, it was excusable in Amos’ day.  They did not have Christ.  But it is no longer excusable.  We do have Christ.  We have his message, his life, his teachings.  Do not let the bauble of riches be your guide, but rather the words and work of Christ – the Christ in you, which as Paul writes it, is The Hope of Glory.

Do we just shrug and say “it is out of our hands, there’s nothing we can do?”  A renowned 19th century clergyman by the name of Reverend Everett Hale, said it so well:

I am only one, But still I am one.

I cannot do everything,

But still I can do something;

And because I cannot do everything

I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.

The Christ in you is the Hope of Glory.  If that is true, what will you do?

Today's Sermon - The Grace of God - 7/14/19

God of Grace

(based on Colossians 1:1-14, drawing parallels and understanding Ephesians 2:8,9 and Philippians 2:12,13)

As Paul begins this letter, in the first few verses he introduces himself, explains the world-wide scope of the Christian movement that has been going on over the past few years, and then tells the Colossians how he is praying for them.  Though Paul had never visited the Colossian church in person, you can sense his love and concern for them in the first few verses of this letter. 

It's likely that Paul had passed by Colossae on his way to the "big city" of Ephesus, but he had never been to the church in Colossae.  In fact, it hadn't existed when he had gone past it on the great Royal Highway from the East that ended in Sardis and Ephesus, 100 miles west.  Paul spent nearly three years in Ephesus, preaching first in the synagogue, then later, when he had been kicked out, he rented the lecture hall of Tyrannus, where he taught the new disciples.  Epaphras was one of these new disciples.  While in Ephesus, he heard of Paul, sat under his teaching, and became a Christian.  Then he went back to Colossae and started a church.  Now Epaphras has come to Rome, sought Paul out, and has asked him to write a letter to encourage the members of his church.

In Paul’s letter back to the Colossian church, that’s exactly what Paul does; encouraging them from the moment they fully comprehended the Grace of God.  But, what is the Grace of God?  Is it a gift, freely given?  Is it something that we earn or work towards?  What exactly is it that defines this God that we believe in – this God of Grace?

The word “grace” or Chanan only appears 4 times in the Old Testament.  This word can be translated as favor.  As in Samuel, who found chanan or “favor in the eyes of the Lord” – which fully means to bend or stoop in kindness to another.  The comparable word in Greek from the New Testament translated as grace is charis, a manner or act of gratification due to the divine influence upon the heart.  Although it’s comparable companion in the Old Testament only occurs 4 times, this word occurs 118 times in the New Testament.

The classic scripture passage on grace in the New Testament is found in Ephesians 2:8,9:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast."

The wonderful truth of God's grace is that it’s a gift, granted to us by God, through his son, Jesus Christ.  All we have to do is to believe it -- that is, embrace the truth for ourselves.  As Paul wrote it to the members of the Colossian Church, when they fully comprehended the grace of God, they set themselves on a new path of living. 

If God’s grace is about God’s gift of salvation to us, then another great passage on grace can be found in Philippians 2:12, 13, “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

In German there is a wonderful play on words for Grace and Works.  In German, grace is translated as Gabe or “gift”, and the word for works is translated as Aufgabe or “to gift.” So, in German these two words gift and works become part of the same understanding of grace which becomes both a noun and a verb; gift and to gift.  So, even though the passage from Ephesians says that grace is a gift and that it is not something that you can work towards, in German grace is both noun; a gift and something that you do, “to gift”.

During Christianity’s early days in Rome a monk named Pelagius taught that we must earn God’s grace; that our salvation is our responsibility.  It is all “task.”  Church father Augustine opposed Pelagius and taught that God’s grace is all God’s doing; we really don’t contribute anything.  God chooses whom he will offer favor and grants them grace.  God saves them without any cooperation or contribution on their parts.

During the Protestant Reformation Martin Luther and the Catholic Church fell into bitter dispute over this.  

During the Great Awakening in Britain and America John Wesley and revivalist George Whitefield fell into disagreement and, for a while, ended their friendship over this issue of God’s role and ours in salvation.

And on and on the argument has gone.

What many don’t see is that Philippians 2:12-13 isn’t about initial salvation—conversion.  It’s about the Christian life after conversion—about maintaining a healthy relationship with God as a converted believer.  The first part of grace is about a gift.  The second part of grace is about gifting to others. 

This is what Paul was writing about in his letter to the believers in Colossae.  Now that they have fully comprehended that gift that God has given them, they are to be at work.  Their lives should show it.  Paul writes in the end of the introduction how they should be living lives that are worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to God, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, becoming strong in the Lord, being patient through endurance, all while joyfully giving thanks.

Charles Spurgeon, born in 1834 became an English Baptist Preacher.  He was a great author of many types of works including sermons, an autobiography, commentaries, books on prayer, devotionals, magazines, poetry, and hymns.  Spurgeon’s sermons and writings are still held in high regard among some of the most powerful sermons of penetrating thought and precise exposition.

In one of his stories, he told of an evening when he was riding home after a heavy day’s work.  He felt weary and depressed, when as suddenly as a lightning flash he thought of 2 Corinthians 12:9 – another great passage on the grace of God which says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” He said, “I should think it is, Lord,” and he burst out laughing.  He suddenly understood the full comprehension of God’s grace to him.  It was as though some little fish, being very thirsty, was troubled about drinking the river dry, and the river said, “Drink away, little fish, my stream is sufficient for you.” Or, it seemed after the seven years of plenty, a mouse feared that it would die of famine, and Joseph might say, “Cheer up, little mouse, my granaries are sufficient for you.” Or, a man away up on a mountain saying to himself, “I fear I shall exhaust all the oxygen in the atmosphere.” But the earth might say, “Breathe away, oh man, and fill your lungs with every breath; my atmosphere is sufficient for you.”

God’s gift of salvation to us is God’s grace, the Old Testament understanding of grace, a chanan, a bending or a stooping from one to another in deference to their relationship.  God’s grace is free and plentiful like the water in the stream, or the grain in the granary, or the oxygen in the atmosphere.  But, it is something that you must fully comprehend in order to grasp, to take it, to make it your own.  Once it is fully comprehended and  yours, it becomes a charis or the New Testament definition of the word, an act of gratification due to the divine influence upon the heart.

This is the Grace of God at work in your life; a gift freely given, as great and plentiful as the air we breathe, given to us to also freely give from the God of Grace.

Thanks be to God.  AMEN.

Today's Sermon - Do the Right Thing 7/7/19

Do the Right Thing

(based on Galatians 6:6-17)

As a follow up to the listing of the fruit of the Spirit last week, the author of Galatians goes on to say why living a life filled with the Spirit is important.  We reap what we sow.  If we sow good things, we shall reap good things in our lives.  If we sow bad things, than that is what we will receive in return.  You may be well aware of the obvious benefits that others reap from your acts of kindness. But now even science believes that those habits also boost your own mood and increases the amount of positivity in your life.

No matter how significant or insignificant the charitable endeavor may be, it’s likely to have big consequences on your own mental health.  In recent years, psychologists and researchers have found that even the smallest acts of kindness can create a rebound effect on your own psyche.

So, in order for us to live in the Spirit and reap what we sow, I’ve compiled a list of 14 small acts of kindness that can completely transform your outlook and perspective – a way of living into the fruits of the Spirit, where you’ll reap ten-fold what you’ve sown.  Oh, and you’ll also make other people happy, too.

Start with a smile.

As many psychologists point out, smiling at others not only increases their level of comfort and happiness, but can also work to put you in a better mood.  Simply taking the time out of your day to warmly greet others (even strangers) can affect people in ways that you’ll likely never know.  Have you ever noticed how much more positive you feel when people are smiling around you, rather than being around people who are always in a bad mood?

Tell the people you love how you feel.

Even if the people you love already know how you feel about them, it’s important to keep reminding them of this—whether it’s through kind words or a random bouquet of flowers.  When it comes to the people that you love, a limit should never exist on the number of times you remind them of the way you feel about them.  Do it regularly.  This can keep your relationship strong, and, in effect, keep those endorphins coming for both you and for those you love.

Forgive others.

Holding grudges doesn’t do anyone any good—especially you.  Holding a grudge against someone else doesn’t impact their lives, at all.  It only hurts you.  Even if this person committed an unspeakable act that severely impacted your life, it is necessary to simply forgive them and move on from whatever happened.  I know that’s a difficult thing to do, but as a Christian we’ve been commanded to forgive others.  Holding on to grudges or negative feelings against others is only a means by which we also end up sowing negativity in our lives. 

Hold the elevator or door for someone.

Yes, it’s simple—but holding the elevator or door for someone goes beyond chivalry.  In a perfect, kind world, holding the door for someone would not even require a second thought, but, alas, it seems to be a habit of the past.  You never know, those extra few seconds could make a world of difference to the other person.

Allow someone to merge in traffic.

As I drive a lot, this is a particular pet-peeve of mine.  It can be easy to get into the habit of practicing selfishness on a daily commute to and from work.  Whether or not you’re running late, it seems as though giving others a free pass is not something that you feel that you have time to do. However, rather than remain selfish, incorporate a bit of kindness into your driving experience by simply leaving space for others to merge into your lane.  This simple act has the power to make others’ commutes just as stress-free as yours—and that is something that possesses the power to make everyone feel great.

Bake cookies for your new neighbor.

In this day and age, it seems, you’re lucky if you even know what your neighbors look like, as it’s become customary to simply dart out of your front door every day without a second glance.   You can work to change this cold system we’ve plunged ourselves into by bringing a basket of cookies or muffins to the new neighbor on the block to welcome them to the neighborhood.  This small gesture can make the new homeowners on the block feel welcome and at ease in their new neighborhood, while also establishing a unity in the whole neighborhood that might benefit you later down the line.

Bring soup to a sick person.

While this is probably already a common occurrence for those living under the same roof as you, showing kindness to others when they’re sick can be a great way to demonstrate that you care for them.  According to the University of Kansas Health System, this kindness doesn’t even have to be displayed by bringing over a container of soup—in fact, you can display kindness for those with a cold by simply offering to help in any area of their life that may be neglected while they lay in bed and recuperate.

Be kind to servers and retail employees.

Nothing will make you seem like more of a tyrant than bullying and belittling those in the service industry.  After all, they are only present to fulfill your needs, and your constant harsh criticisms will only make it harder for them to do their job.  Uttering a simple “please” and “thank you” will go much farther when paired with patience and understanding.  So, the next time your waiter gets your order wrong, instead of throwing a fit, simply acknowledge that it was a simple mistake and ask for them to give it another try.  Besides, throwing a fit will often only make the waiter feel less inclined to help you.

Make someone laugh.

Cracking a few jokes can actually benefit those around you.  Aside from the fact that there are numerous health benefits of laughter, it can also provide an excellent way for you to bond with friends and family members—especially for those who could really use the laugh.  This is because one of the biggest benefits of laughter is the side effect of stress reduction, that, according to the Mayo Clinic, can help ease any tension that you and your fellow gigglers have been holding inside.

Send a thank you letter.

In today’s computer/texting age, even I’ve gotten bad at this.  But sending a handwritten thank you note is a much more personal way to show your thanks.  

Pick up litter.

This one is getting higher and higher on my list of must do’s every day.  Not only will occasionally picking up litter benefit others, like small children and the surrounding wildlife, but it can also preserve your neighborhoods and parks, prevent floods, and work to keep the cost of living in your area low.  Just being aware of the litter around you and doing your part to clean up the debris can work to preserve the beauty of the place that yourself and others enjoy so much.

Encourage someone to pursue a goal.

The last time that you made a big change in your life, how was it that this decision came about?  Was it perhaps, along with careful planning, a positive word from a friend or family member?  If so, then you know the power of friendly pep talks—especially when making a big life decision that could completely change your life.  Even if their dreams seem entirely too out-of-this-world, encouraging them to follow their life’s passion, whatever that may be, can give them the fuel that they need to pursue their dreams. With just a few words of encouragement, you could change the course of their entire life.

Stop complaining.

This one is fairly straight-forward: simply stop complaining every time you feel the urge.  Again, sowing negativity only brings more negativity to your own life.  This especially pertains to those times in which the thing annoying you the most, you have no control over.

Be kind to yourself.

And finally, the best way to reap what you sow is to be kind to yourself.   Setting impossible standards for yourself or constantly beating yourself up over things will only put you into a tailspin of negative thoughts. Practice kindness with yourself, and it will be much easier to do the same with others.