Cake

I want to tell you about a man I’m going to name Hank. I met Hank while I was working as a chaplain for the Nightingale hospital during the lockdown and he worked there as a security guard. It was my job to start conversations with people and check in on their spiritual and emotional health. What started as a spritely conversation about this, that, and the other, opened up to become a vulnerable and heartfelt moment.

Hank told me about his battle with PTSD since coming back from serving in the army, his walk with grieving the sudden death of his mother and his journey with loneliness. During this sombre conversation, Hank let on that it was also his birthday that very day, so my colleague and I decided to do something about it. Hank was an incredible human who needed to be celebrated, loved and affirmed so we popped to the shop for some cake and a card.

Even though we had only just met him we filled the card with the truth about who God says Hank is – a man of integrity, honour, strength, courage, wisdom, kindness, and life (and the list goes on!). When we gathered his colleagues and celebrated him, he was overjoyed, emotional, and a little dazed from all the affection. Hank was someone who needed truth to ring louder than despair and love to hold firmer than brokenness. It was a joy to partner with God to see that happen for him.

Unfortunately, Hank is not alone in his feelings of heartache, pain and loneliness, and often those who seem the most upbeat on the outside are hiding incredible sadness on the inside. Jesus wasn’t afraid of other people’s pain and would approach people the world deemed unacceptable.

I do not doubt that there are people you know or you walk past every day who feel like Hank and God wants to use ordinary people like you and me to speak words of encouragement into their situations – encouragement that has the power to ignite their breakthrough. It’s such a privilege to be a small part of someone’s story and journey into a life filled with joy. Just imagine if, through small acts like this, we were able to change the culture of our homes or workplaces into places of honour and joy.

Prayer:

Pray for those who are battling pain, grief, or loneliness, so that they may encounter God’s love and truth profoundly. Ask for the sensitivity to notice those around you who may be hiding their struggles behind a smile. Pray for the courage to step into someone’s life with encouragement, kindness, and acts of honour that reflect Jesus’ love.

Take a 40acts challenge today:

1. Celebrate someone today. Buy them a cupcake and just celebrate them for no other reason than that God loves them.
2. Buy a big cake and share it with someone.
3. Bake a cake and surprise someone with it.