The

Great

Samaritan

Conspiracy

!

Cheryl is a mighty prayer warrior. She is never without a smile and words of wisdom and encouragement for those people who are blessed to share her company. She is a treasure.

Cheryl had been recovering from knee surgery for several weeks when the weekend for our annual Women's Retreat came up. She was improving gradually, but progress had been slow and painful. Surely, discouragement and disillusionment were doing their best to wear her down, to dim the brightness of her spirit. That she came (even encumbered with a wheelchair and a cane) to the retreat at all was God's grace, adding the sweet, delicate spice of her presence to our experience that weekend.

Saturday afternoon, Cheryl, who had been teaching a quilting class, came back to her room. She found that someone had left a cheery, colorful comforter (Noah's Ark, a rainbow splashed across the sky, and the caption, 'God Keeps His Promises.') and an anonymous note of encouragement on her bed.

I could stop here. Another heartwarming instance of God breathing new life into His embattled, discouraged children. A happy ending.(call the Chicken Soup for the Soul people!!) But the story doesn't end there. At least not for me...

If that person had simply handed the comforter to Cheryl, I'm confident that the giver would have gotten one of Cheryl's worldclass hugs and a heartfelt thank you. And there it would have ended.

Now, witness the awesome impact of anonymity...

I am told that Cheryl was so deeply moved by the gift that tears filled her eyes as she showed it to her roommate and friends. Twice, this faceless Samaritan's deed was announced and praised in front of the entire group of 200 women. They stood in front of the Sunday morning meeting and held the comforter up to show everyone. The entire retreat resounded with the selflessness of the gift and the incomparable beauty of a God Who would move in one person's heart to show His love in such a gently powerful way. Because the giver CHOSE anonymity, God got all the glory.

I was stunned by the simplicity and the beauty of it. I was hooked. Right then, I joined the Samaritan Conspiracy.

Imagine the impact on this sad, lost world...if this sort of thing happened more often...if His people routinely gave in this fashion...if we were all part of the Samaritan conspiracy. So, might I suggest the prayerful consideration of these options...

Next time you're at a convenience store, put spare change INTO the little 'need a penny' dish by the cash register.

Next time you have to pay to use a toll road or a bridge, hand the clerk a twenty...for yourself and the next few cars. (This idea works at fast food drive-thrus and for movie theater or concert admissions, too.)

Leave a couple dollar bills in between the pages of a library book you're returning.

If you're walking by and you see a parking meter that's about to run out of time, put a quarter in.

Send flowers or balloons to someone who you KNOW needs cheering up. Sign the card, 'With love, Jesus.'

Leave an anonymous note of encouragement and thanks(just for being them) along with a really good book (CD, tape, plate of fresh chocolate chip cookies, or whatever else comes to mind) on someone's seat at church. (Desks at work or school are just as good!!)

Ask the God of all perfect love and grace to show you ways to be a part of the great Samaritan Conspiracy.