Recently I learned about a playground with what is known as “The Friendship Bench.”
When kids are at recess and need someone to play with, they can go sit on The Friendship Bench. All the kids know to look for other classmates who might be sitting on this bench. When they see someone on the bench, they invite them to play. Kids understand that sometimes they are the person on the bench in need of a friend. Other times they are the one who goes to the bench to invite someone to play.
It struck me as this beautiful example of how small acts of kindness and mercy create connection and hope. It got me thinking, maybe we adults need friendship benches. Places where we can say, “I have a need.” And when we share our needs, we know and trust that there will be someone in the community who responds and says, “I understand what you are going through and I can help.”
Sometimes, in our adult worlds, problems can be overwhelming. From wars to political division to medical diagnosis to so many other places of pain and uncertainty, it can be easy to wonder if we can really make a difference. We don’t know where to start or if the things we do will matter.
Jesus challenges us as his followers to have faith like a mustard seed. A mustard seed is small, seemingly insignificant but over time grows and makes a big difference. It’s this idea that small things matter a great deal. Small things like the courage to follow a nudge or speak up on behalf of someone who can’t stand up for themselves or extend kindness or offer someone forgiveness or take a step and prioritize faith in a new way.
Like a kid walking over to the Friendship Bench and finding hope and connecting. These seemingly insignificant actions grow and can make a huge difference. So today, remember that there are things you can do that matter deeply. Through what you do, the connections you make and the words you say, we all have opportunities everyday to create hope and life around us.
My prayer for all of us is that we seize those opportunities and God takes them to bring life to our neighborhoods, our communities and our city.
Peace,
Matt Fulmer
