“Why are you getting that food?” the elderly woman asked the young shuttle driver.

“Why not?” he replied. “It’s free and I always have a homeless man on my route who needs food. It’s the least I can do.”

I listened to this exchange on a shuttle ride across downtown Chattanooga. The driver was a punkish looking kid of maybe 20. He jumped off the shuttle and grabbed a free plate of food being distributed by a local ministry. As he hopped back inside, he secured the food and kept it for the passenger he knew would catch a ride later.

He wasn’t a minister. He wasn’t a human services worker. He wasn’t a missionary or even a regular community servant. He was at work, doing his job and simply thought of another person as he was going about his normal day.

As he was going, he thought of someone else. As he was going, he made one extra stop. As he was going, he learned about someone else. As he was going, he made a difference in someone’s life.

We get the same opportunity in our everyday lives. No matter where we go, where we work, or what we do for a living; we can make a lasting impact in someone’s life. As we are going, we can think of someone else. As we are going, we can make that one extra stop. As we are going, we can learn about others. As we are going, we can make a difference in someone’s life.

It’s not hard and the rewards will far outweigh the energy exerted. What can we do this week to help someone else simply as we are going?