Proverbs 3:3 — Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
Eight minutes down the road is when the panic hits.
Kathy had done all the usual prep: shoes on, snacks packed, car loaded. And please—did everyone go to the bathroom? Her daughter Ava nodded. They were ready for their weekend adventure.
Except… guess what?
Unmistakable and urgent, Ava’s voice calls from the back seat. She can’t wait. She can’t hold it.
Parents—if you know, you know.
They pull off at the next exit, and the closest option is a Subway. It’s not ideal, but it will have to do. Kathy hustles Ava inside, heart racing as they rush through the door.
Then the clerk looks up.
“The bathroom’s for paying customers only.”
Kathy’s stomach drops. Her wallet is still in the car. There isn’t time to explain or apologize. Panic presses in—and then, before she can scramble or fall apart, kindness interrupts.
Two young men standing nearby step forward without hesitation. Their voices are calm and certain. They say they’ll take care of it. They buy Ava a cookie, and just like that, she’s a paying customer.
Ava rushes to the bathroom, and suddenly everything is right in the world again.
While they wait, Kathy learns the young men’s names—Latavious and Jalen. She learns they’re football players from the University of Georgia.
To them, it was probably nothing. A few dollars. A cookie. But to her, it was everything. It was being seen in a moment of stress. It was someone stepping in when she couldn’t fix it fast enough.
Scripture gives language to moments like this:
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”
That’s what real love looks like when it’s written deep in someone’s heart. It shows up instinctively. Practically. Without needing applause.
Sometimes love doesn’t look like roses or grand gestures. Sometimes it looks like a cookie in a Subway—offered at exactly the right moment.
As this season fills with Valentine’s cards and big displays, this story reminds us that real love is still alive and well. God’s love is often revealed through ordinary people who choose to notice and act.
So carry kindness close. Keep it ready. Spend it freely.
You never know how much a simple gesture might change everything.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
- When has a small act of kindness made a big difference in your life?
- What does it look like for you to “tie” loyalty and kindness into your everyday routine?
- Who around you might need a simple reminder that they are seen and loved?
- How can you practice a visible, tangible kind of love this week?