• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Connect Sign In
  • Blog
    • Guest Post Submissions
  • Shop
  • Meet Us
    • Meet the Contributors
    • Meet the Staff
    • Our Story
    • Our Heart
  • Books
    • Recommended Reads
    • Our Book Studies

(in)courage

find yourself among friends

Facebook
Twitter
(in)courage
Pinterest
Instagram
(in)

Main navigation

  • Blog
    • Guest Post Submissions
  • Shop
  • Meet Us
    • Meet the Contributors
    • Meet the Staff
    • Our Story
    • Our Heart
  • Books
    • Recommended Reads
    • Our Book Studies
Sign In
  • Most Popular
  • Friendship
  • Encouragement
  • Courage
  • Posts By Author

How Searching for My Nephew Gave New Meaning to Psalm 139

by Jennifer Schmidt

In and through the Darkness of Depression

by Alia Joy

I Dare You: Buy the Flowers

by Kaitlyn Bouchillon

May He Put You Together

by Sarah Mae

A Love Story: the Legacy of My Grandmother

by Lucretia Berry

What You Just Can’t Do on Social Media

by Holley Gerth

High-waisted Jeans and
Emotional Muffin Tops

by Kristen Strong

My Early Morning Sisterhood

by Dawn Camp

Three Ways to Foster Community at Work

by Jessica Turner

Walking Arm in Arm

by (in)courage

What’s Your Word?

by Kim Marquette

Praying for All of Us

by Patricia Raybon

I Dare You: Buy the Flowers

by Kaitlyn Bouchillon

When You Feel Rejected and Unseen

by Jennifer Dukes Lee

A Word for Those Who Feel Unseen

by Karina Allen

In and through the Darkness of Depression

by Alia Joy

When You’re in the Presence of Grief

by Grace P. Cho

A Call to Courage!
(and a Community Survey)

by Becky Keife

Ride with Your Hands Up

by Brenda Koinis

Learning a Little Courage from Our Kids

by Patricia Raybon

  • Alia Joy
  • Aliza Latta
  • Anjuli Paschall
  • Anna Rendell
  • Becky Keife
  • Bonnie Gray
  • Dawn Camp
  • Denise J. Hughes
  • Dorina Lazo Gilmore
  • Michelle Reyes
  • Grace P. Cho
  • Holley Gerth
  • (in)courage
  • Jennifer Ueckert
  • Jennifer Dukes Lee
  • Jennifer Schmidt
  • Jessica Turner
  • Kaitlyn Bouchillon
  • Karina Allen
  • Kristen Strong
  • Lucretia Berry
  • Mary Carver
  • Michele Cushatt
  • Patricia Raybon
  • Renee Swope
  • Robin Dance
  • Sarah Mae
  • Stephanie Bryant
  • Tasha Jun

Being Jesus to Fellow Travelers

by Susan Daugherty May 19, 2018 in:Connection

Email This ArticleEMAIL

I looked up and saw a weary, tear-stained face in the crowd. Startled, I felt as if I was seeing my own reflection. Here in a Beijing airport lounge was a woman who was obviously as exhausted and bewildered as I. We were shepherded onto a bus, which would take us to a hotel for an overnight stay we had not planned. As we rode, I struck up a conversation with her.

Our stories were mirror images. Kimberly was stranded for reasons she didn’t understand, on her way to a Chinese city where her sons had been studying for the past two years. My husband and I were trying to get home after visiting our daughter, who was living and studying in that same city. Both parties had relied on our language-proficient children as our travel guides, but we certainly had not planned on canceled flights leaving us in a strange city where we could not communicate.

At some point, most of us experience surprising situations that do not show up on the itineraries we plan for our lives. As we try to figure out the way forward, we frequently encounter another soul facing the same unwelcome detour. So what do we do?

That night, my husband and I decided to set aside worry and fear, and to respond to the needs of this solo traveler. The situation was out of our hands, requiring us to trust in our stateside travel agent, the airlines, and above all, our heavenly Father. Nick and I at least had one another, but this woman was alone in a strange land.

We invited Kimberly to spend the evening with us. With the help of hotel staff and translating apps on smart phones, we secured a driver for the night. Only two hours earlier she had sent her sons a tearful message about her plight. Now she texted,“I made some friends and we’re going to tour the city!”

So began a magical evening. As we rode, we shared life stories far deeper than normal small talk with a stranger. Though our home states, our work, and our interests were different, we were bonded by our children’s common residence on this foreign continent. The driver delivered us to a restaurant serving Peking duck, then to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and other cultural highlights. We laughed, talked, took pictures, and marveled at the sights.

It is a great gift to walk through milestones and life seasons with people we know, but once in a while, circumstances throw strangers together. Even a brief encounter may be what God uses to sustain a desperate heart at a vulnerable time. My seemingly chance meeting in an airport presented an opportunity to follow the example and teachings of Jesus.

On the very evening that He would later be arrested and interrogated, Jesus cared for His disciples and put their needs first. He washed their feet, taught them, prayed for them, and left them with these words, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:9, 12 NIV)

As His followers, Jesus also asks us to love the people we interact with. Lonely fellow travelers cross our path not only in airports but also in doctors’ waiting rooms, the checkout line at the grocery store, and the adjoining office cubicle. When we choose to love them, we walk in our Savior’s footsteps. And like my unanticipated connection with a traveler in Beijing, reaching out can be the gateway to surprising joy.

by Susan Daugherty
Email This ArticleEMAIL

When we choose to love others in their times of need, we walk in our Savior’s footsteps. - @incourage: https://www.incourage.me/?p=191562

Tweet

Susan Daugherty

Susan Daugherty wholeheartedly believes that our lives can have big impact for Jesus, even if our daily job descriptions seem "small." She blogs about finding God’s grace, Scriptural truth, and eternal value in everyday moments. Her life story includes marriage, motherhood, adoption, homeschooling, missions, and music.
Author Website

Related Resources
PreviousNext

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sue says

    May 19, 2018 at 10:28 am

    I love this story. How God is in the commonplace making it no longer common, but magical and full of grace. Meet ups with strangers, welcoming them into our space is hospitality at its finest. (;

    • Co Lawalata says

      May 19, 2018 at 11:09 am

      Amen

    • Susan Daugherty says

      May 19, 2018 at 12:41 pm

      It’s a way of living that I am just learning. When I do follow those God promptings, it leaves my heart so full of joy and thankfulness!

  2. Sadie says

    May 19, 2018 at 12:13 pm

    Susan… how great was that trip! I hardly travel and I love love love talking to strangers anywhere anyplace…(much to my husbands dismay) he likes to shop and go.. can I hav a witness?! I’m never going to stop as I’m letting God do His will.. we don’t know what word we leave someone with OR words they leave us with that becomes Gods word for that day.. just saying
    Keep calm & Jesus on 🙂

    • Susan Daugherty says

      May 19, 2018 at 12:37 pm

      I love it! You have learned the importance of using the daily opportunities God gives us to give and receive love, no matter how brief the encounters. I am slowly coming out of my shell and finding the joy in this way of living.

  3. Becky Keife says

    May 19, 2018 at 11:33 pm

    Such a beautiful story, Susan! We can make such a big impact through reaching outside of our normal comfort zone and extending small kindness. Thank you for sharing this encouragement with us!

    • Susan Daugherty says

      May 20, 2018 at 4:56 pm

      Thank you, Becky. The experience of being stranded where there were so few people we could communicate with was so frightening at first, but I wouldn’t trade it. God gave us more than one memorable encounter over the 36 hours it took to get routed home again.
      I really enjoyed your “When Your Story is the One You Need” post. God used it to tell me some things I needed to hear about my own parenting.

  4. Melody says

    May 21, 2018 at 9:21 am

    I love this!!! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

Blog

  • Subscribe

    Sign up to receive words of encouragement, from our heart to yours. By clicking ‘join’ you will receive daily emails and the monthly newsletter from (in)courage. See our privacy policy here.

    THANK YOU.

    Your first email is on the way.

    * PLEASE ENTER A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS
  • Get the (in)courage Devotional Bible today!

  • Send an (in)courage e-card to a friend today!

    Choose one here!

  • Sign up for emails from (in)courage!

    Click here!

  • Yesterday, 9:15pm

    The Holy Spirit uses our weaknesses because He is strong. He answers the question, Who do you think you are? with t… https://t.co/9NKF2VCAc4

    Follow On Twitter
  • Footer

    (in)
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Pinterest
    Instagram
    YouTube
    Find Yourself Among Friends

    Subscribe

    THANK YOU.

    Your first email is on the way.

    * PLEASE ENTER A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS

    We’ll only share words that make souls stronger. By clicking ‘join’ you will receive daily emails from (in)courage. See our privacy policy here.

    copyright 2019 DaySpring. all rights reserved.

    Main navigation

    • Blog
      • Guest Post Submissions
    • Shop
    • Meet Us
      • Meet the Contributors
      • Meet the Staff
      • Our Story
      • Our Heart
    • Books
      • Recommended Reads
      • Our Book Studies