Jesus is my friend. He is my friend one minute at a time. He’s always with me, and loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.

So I too can be a one-minute friend to those around me when called for it.

Thirty-some years ago when my mother was in Mary Kay cosmetics, I did a little sales myself, but learned more about Mary Kay Ash by working as my mother’s secretary, whose persona is very much like Mary Kay’s. Mary Kay made an effort to respect every person who came her way. She looked them in the eye, listened for about one minute, blessed them and moved on. She also set time aside each day to reply to letters and personal phone calls. Was she perfect? Of course not, but if within her power, she gave even in the smallest of ways.

Mary Kay’s principle was correct. People may not always understand us, agree with us or know what to do with us, but one thing they can know, when we’re responsive they know we care.

Mary Kay didn’t judge. She simply taught, “Everyone is wearing an invisible sign that says, ‘Make me feel important.’” And she responded. Didn’t react. Didn’t try to change people. Simply responded with dignity.

I got to experience May Kay’s kindness personally. I came down with shingles in 1984. Mary Kay had recovered from shingles not long before and made an announcement to her sales force that if anyone ever came down with shingles, to call her. Mom did. I got into a hospital that cured the awful lesions threatening to take one of my eyes. Shortly after I went with my mother to Mary Kay’s headquarters and was privileged to run into Mary Kay Ash in the parking lot. I couldn’t withhold my enthusiasm. I ran up to her. She turned kindly to me and looked me in the eye.

“I want to thank you for helping me get into Morton hospital. Dr. Kahn was able to help cure my shingles, just like you said.”

I don’t recall what she said. But I recall her look. It was kind. I could tell she was glad that she could help me.

The encounter didn’t last long. About one minute.

But it counted.

It counted in my soul.

She told me in that instant I mattered.

Because she took opportunity to publicly honor Christ so many times, I knew she did what she did because of Jesus.

Jesus helped heal me through the hands of the doctors, my parents who got me to the hospital and Mary Kay who helped get me into the hospital. And all because she took a moment to educate her sales force on what to do if anyone ever came down with shingles.

How much more Jesus does in the one minute at a time he spends with us to mend our brokenness. May I be mindful of the minutes and moments that build others up and remember that it is all because of Jesus.

Amazing!