It is vacation time. A time when the kids are out of school and your family gets to take that all-important vacation. Whether it is a trip to the Florida beaches, a resort in Mexico, trip to the mountains or even a staycation, it is a great time to spend some quality time with your family. But did you realize that even on vacation you are able to let your faith influence others? While you are on vacation, you are rubbing shoulders with individuals you might never have impacted with the love of Jesus any other time. Actions speak louder than words, right? So let your actions speak of Jesus’ love while you are on vacation this summer and into the future.
How do you do that? Consider these three ways of showing your faith to others. These simple methods can make a difference in someone else’s life while you are vacationing.
Be courteous
I'm sure you wouldn't' be surprised to hear that I have observed my fair share of discourteous people even in the friendly South (don't even get me started about the freeways). But we as Christians are called to be different. Jesus shared that as His followers we are to practice the Golden Rule, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31). Now it doesn't have to be anything extravagant. It could be a simple as making sure you always say thank-you to your hotel wait staff, or to the individual who is cleaning your room after your kids have strewn crumbs everywhere, or to the front desk person who checks you in. It could be helping that mom who has a crying baby and a fidgety toddler by pushing her overflowing cart to the register or by helping load her groceries into her car. Courtesy seems to be a lost art, just showing appreciation or giving a helping hand will speak volumes.
Be generous
Unfortunately, generosity is one of the last practiced Christian virtue. So often, we try to get by with the least we can give instead of the maximum. In other words, as long as we do something -anything- then it is enough. But that doesn't seem to be what Scripture teaches and Christ modeled. Christians are to be some of the most generous people in the world. So instead of at the end of meal tipping your server the least amount acceptable, try tipping them generously. You have no idea what that generosity is going to do for that server. Your generosity may be something that gets through the day because you have demonstrated much you value them.
Pay it forward
I think many of us are familiar with the concept of "paying it forward" or "a random act of kindness". A vacation is one of the best places to "pay it forward". What might that look like? It might be that you pay for the food of the person behind you at the restaurant’s drive-through, or you could pay for another person’s tank of gas as you are filling up your own. The magical element is that not only do you help by "paying it forward" but you could also inspire someone else to “pay it forward” by brightening up their day.
While being on vacation may mean that you leave your worries and cares at home, you don't have to leave your faith at home as well. You never know when you may run into someone who has seen your faith lived out in your actions, so make every moment count.
Originally published in the Spring, 2014 issue of the Texas Conference Flame