For the 40 days of Lent, our writers will be sharing testimonies based on the scripture Mark 14:6-9: She offered what was in her hands and heart to give. 6-9 But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why are you giving her a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me. You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives. Whenever you feel like it, you can do something for them. Not so with me. She did what she could when she could—she pre-anointed my body for burial. And you can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she just did is going to be talked about admiringly.”
In this Lenton season, may we be reminded of all that Jesus gave for us because we are His beloved.
Listen:
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, …” (Matthew 25:34-36 NIVUK)
Reflect:
Eight years after moving to France, we moved to a new region. The shift from cosmopolitan Grenoble and Lyon to rural Lorraine was a culture shock.
In a village of 500 people, we were already known as “The English Family” when we arrived and everyone seemed to know which house we lived in, the ages of our kids and where we worked.
At the gates of the village school, everyone knew everyone and I knew no one. Morning drop offs were daunting as people greeted each other with a kiss, but mostly ignored me, the new mum. I had left friends and familiarity behind and suddenly felt very foreign again.
On those tough mornings one woman, native to the village, lightened the load of loneliness. Her gift to me every morning was a look in the eye, a big bright smile and a single word, “Bonjour”. She didn’t know me, my history or my opinions, but every day with this small gesture of kindness made me feel welcome.
Over the following decade, our family became part of the community, involved in school life and village events. Neighbours became friends and rural Lorraine became home.
We have since moved on, as international families often do, and those school gate mornings seem long ago, but I am still grateful to the one person who offered kindness to a stranger and welcomed me with a reassuring smile. I didn’t lack food or water, but she gave me what I really needed: welcome.
Prayer of Response:
Lord, thank you for your kindness and your welcome. Thank you for your reassuring love. Generous God, remind me to be kind in little ways so your kindness grows in me and shines into the world.
Questions to Ponder:
- Who could I bless with a simple greeting or kind words?
- How can I be generous in small ways today?
Breath Prayers:
As a weekly rhythm, join us in praying breath prayers each day. We invite you to write your own as well.
Inhale (Breathe in): Generous God,
Exhale (Breathe out): Shine Your kindness through me.
—Submitted by Sylvana Botterill
Sylvana joined Lifesprings at its beginning in France and is part of the Lifesprings International prayer team. She now lives in England and serves at her local church and as leader of Lifesprings UK. She loves outdoor sports and wild landscapes.