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The preacher asked all the kids to sit by me on the front row one Sunday morning at church. One little boy, who was having a difficult time sitting still and being quiet, sat right beside me. He wanted to talk to me, but I was trying to turn his attention toward the preacher (after all, that’s what you’re supposed to do in church). He finally calmed down and focused on what the preacher was saying.
The preacher mentioned the name “Timothy” in his sermon, and that seemed to activate the little boy’s “talk” button again. He leaned over to me and said (in a much louder voice than a whisper), “I have a friend at school ...” but I interrupted, index finger pressed firmly against my lips, and said, “Shhh … pay attention to the preacher.” But he kept going, “He was different from the other kids at school. He got sick …” Again, I interrupted his story with, “Tell me about it after church; you need to listen to the preacher now.” But he was relentless and continued, “He died last week. Every time the preacher says ‘Timothy,’ it makes me sad because that was his name.” My heart sank as I realized that I was trying to “shush” something that really needed to be “let out.”
All of a sudden, the sermon didn’t matter anymore, church protocol didn’t matter anymore, and an inconvenient disturbance didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered was the heart of a little boy who missed his friend from school. A little boy who was looking to a grown man for some compassion. I quickly repented of my earlier cold response to him and then laid my hand upon his hand and looked into his eyes, and whispered, “I’m so sorry, buddy.” Holding on to his hand, I prayed for him under my breath as a preacher continued with this sermon.
I realized that what had just transpired with this little boy was just as important as the words coming from the pulpit. God spoke to me through my experience with that little boy about showing compassion even when it’s seemingly “out of place” and inconvenient.
One day I may forget the words spoken by this preacher that Sunday morning, but I will never forget the sermon God spoke to me through the little boy on the front row of that church.
My prayer for today: Lord, help me open my eyes to the needs of others around me and to always be prepared to help and serve, even when it’s seemingly inconvenient and out of place. Amen.—Greg A. Lane1
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A fruit of the Holy Spirit is patience (Galatians 5:22–23), and patience is definitely needed when dealing with people who annoy us. We are called to love (John 13:35), compassion, kindness, humility, and gentleness (Colossians 3:12–13). These attributes should guide our response to all people, including those who annoy us.
There were several times that the disciples wanted to prevent people from “annoying” Jesus. At various times, children, a blind man, a Samaritan woman, and a prostitute with perfume wanted to interact with Jesus, and the disciples or others desired to prevent them from “bothering” the Lord. But Jesus was not annoyed. He never put social norms above loving the person in front of Him (Matthew 19:13; John 4; Luke 7:36–39; Luke 18:35–42).
When someone annoys us, we must first check our hearts and then ask the Holy Spirit for help in reflecting Jesus Christ to others (2 Corinthians 6:3–10). If “love covers over all wrongs” (Proverbs 10:12), then love can surely cover annoyances.—Got Questions2
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My prayer is that in all the busyness of life, in the abundance of urgent needs and priorities, we don’t lose sight of how important love is—both in the big picture and in our daily choices and priorities. Sometimes we forget that all our accomplishments are nothing without love.
“If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2–3). If we don’t have love, our sacrifice and hard work isn’t worth all that much and won’t bring forth the right results.
Learning to care for others is an art, and it’s one that there is always room to grow in. For example, learning how to manifest love for others in the ways that they appreciate and need, how to nurse them when they’re ill or afflicted physically, how to encourage them when they’re discouraged, how to support them when they’re busy, how to be a friend when they’re lonely or a safeguard when they’re weak; learning how to support others spiritually with faith and hope that overlooks their mistakes.
One of the beautiful things about love is that it adapts to the need. Depending on the occasion, love might mean being quiet and respecting someone’s need for silence. At other times, it might mean being more outgoing toward them and talkative. There’s no set formula, so part of the work of loving is finding out what the need is and how to meet it.
It’s motivating to think about what a commitment of love will do, and what a difference it will make for you personally, because you will be benefiting as well from God’s love flowing through you. Your spirit will be strengthened and fulfilled in new ways. It will create a vacuum for God’s blessings and miracles.
May God’s love be with you today and always.—Maria Fontaine
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It dawned on me years ago that it was easier for me to be critical of someone upon meeting them than to show them grace. I was tuned in to how they dressed, talked, and displayed themselves, rather than their heart for which Christ died. But that attitude was not exemplary of Christ in me. That was the flesh in me. The selfishness in me. The insecurity in me that felt I needed to compare myself with others in hopes that I would come out ahead. People weren’t seeing Christ in me that way. They were seeing a critical woman trying to compensate for her own hurts.
When you and I start showing compassion toward others, empathizing with others’ situations or hurts, and showing grace and mercy rather than a critical spirit, we can be representatives of Christ’s grace and mercy. In Micah 6:8 we read that what God requires of His own is “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Are you being just, kind, and humble in your attitude toward others? If so, they will see Christ in you.—Cindi McMenamin3
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Rejoice in Me always. Let your gentleness be evident to all. I am near. Rejoicing in Me can protect you from the temptation to complain. When your circumstances are stressful, it is easy for you to become irritable. But I want you to demonstrate gentleness—not irritability. This is possible to the extent that you find Joy in Me. Since I am the same yesterday, today, and forever, there is always much for you to rejoice about.
You can be joyful in the knowledge that I am near. When a man and a woman are deeply in love, they often bring out the best in each other. Just being near the beloved can soothe irritations and increase happiness. I am the Lover who is always nearby—unseen yet tenderly present. I can soothe your frustrations and fill you with Joy as you tune in to My loving Presence. One way to do this is to thank Me for My continual Presence and My constant Love. When circumstances are getting you down, turn your attention to Me and consider the great Love I have for you. Rejoice!—Jesus4
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Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.—Philippians 4:4–5
Published on Anchor September 2026. Read by Lenore Welsh. Music by Michael Dooley.
1 Greg A. Lane, My Morning Walks with God (Inspired Design & Graphics, December 2016).
2 “How should Christians respond to people who annoy them?” gotquestions.org, https://www.gotquestions.org/annoying-people.html
3 Cindi McMenamin, “5 Ways to Let Others See Christ in Your Life,” strengthforthesoul.com, January 20, 2021, https://strengthforthesoul.com/5-ways-to-let-others-see-christ-in-your-life
4 Sarah Young, Jesus Today (Thomas Nelson, 2012).
