Small Concrete Actions and Gifts

We went to a local Chinese restaurant tonight for dinner. One of the special touches this restaurant likes to use is to garnish the dishes with extra special care. My chicken teriyaki came with a small nest of tiny strings of carrots with a yellow rose in the middle of it. We asked the waitress how the rose was made -- it was constructed of petals made from radishes, dyed yellow with food coloring. It so much did not look like a radish.

Read this lectionary passage -- Luke 24:36B-48. Notice especially this verses (44-43)

They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

The Tuesday Lectionary Leadings suggests that this small, concrete action convinced the disciples that Jesus was standing in front of them.

What small, concrete actions can we do or what small, concrete gifts can we give that will convince others of the presence of Christ?

Sometimes there are small actions and gifts that seem like radishes to us but to others are evidence of the love of Christ.

• My husband is facing a difficult situation, but he just received a phone call from a member of our church who will be taking Steve's mom a prayer shawl tomorrow. Small concrete action = presence of Christ.
• Last weekend I had to go to help Mom, who had fallen. Our friends said, "Go; we'll pick up Josh." (Not so) small concrete action = presence of Christ.

My list could go on and on. I've seen so many these past two weeks -- so many actions and gifts that have shown me the presence of Christ. I'm grateful for all of them, and pray that I can give of myself in the same way, in some small way.