Friday Favors

When I looked up the word favor on the internet, Google gave me four different noun meanings:

• A kind act;
• Support or approval;
• An advantage; and,
• A small gift.

When I thought about starting a movement called “Friday Favors”, I pictured the last meaning. But looking at the list, they all work perfectly.

As Christians, we are called to share God with others. We can do this in so many different ways! A kind act can always make a huge impact in a person’s life. Showing support for someone as they are starting a new effort can be a powerful tool to build them up. An advantage is an opportunity to help someone succeed. And a small gift is typically a token given in celebration.

Think about all the ways you can share God’s word with others simply by doing these things.

I was raised Catholic. My family was very active in the church, but I had never experienced going on a mission trip until high school when I joined a friend and her church on a mission to Ocean City, Maryland. The most fascinating experience for me was ministering to people at the beach. This was something I had never experienced before.

As young, cute high school girls we would often be approached by young, cute high school boys. Little did they know what they were getting themselves into! One of these experiences always stuck with me…

A teenager approached us as we walked out of a convenience store. He asked us to go to a party that evening, but we declined and said we were going to church. He seemed shocked. He started asking us questions about religion and faith. His family life was difficult and he struggled with school. We explained God’s love for him can surpass all those other things.
We sat there on the front step of the convenience store for hours.

By the end of our conversation, he was weeping and asked Jesus to come into his life. At the time, it was the most powerful religious experience I ever had. He skipped the party that night and went to church with us instead. He participated in events with the host church for the rest of the week. I never knew what became of that young man afterwards, but I knew at least in those few days, we made a monumental impact on his life.

Something as simple as sharing a little love from God can go a long way. It can bring hope and start conversations. Even if nothing comes from it in that moment, it plants a seed in a persons’ soul. That is why I wanted to start #FridayFavors. Examples of Friday Favors are:

• Sharing a small positive note or scripture care with someone. Leave it on their windshield, with a tip, or just hand it to a stranger as you give them a compliment.
• If you see someone struggling, whether you know them or not, ask if you can pray for them.
• Share a piece of scripture on social media. And be sure to tag it with #FridayFavors!

If you have other #FridayFavors ideas, please leave them in the comments. Let’s brighten the world by sharing the love of God!