As Nicole Marie Heintz was fueling up her car at a gas station, she encountered a sight that immediately captured her attention. She noticed a middle-aged man in a state of despair, weeping and staring at the gas pump. Intrigued, she approached him, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw that despite the frigid weather, he was wearing flip flops and hole-ridden socks. Furthermore, she spotted his wife in the driver’s seat, hiding her face in her hands, and their two adolescent daughters huddling together under a blanket in the back of the car.
Without hesitation, she went up to the man and asked if something was wrong. The man looked at her, tears streaming down his face, and admitted that he could not provide for his family. It was evident that he was on the verge of giving up. Moved by his plight, Nicole acted without thinking, swiped her card in the machine and said to him, “Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died to provide for you. Fill up.”
Those words touched the man deeply, and he was in shock. It was as if he had forgotten how to pump gas. Something came alive in him, and he realized that there was still kindness in this world. Nicole’s simple act of kindness had given him hope and renewed his faith in humanity.
Nicole’s encounter serves as a testament to the notion that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a profound impact on people’s lives. Her empathy and eagerness to assist a stranger in need not only offered practical assistance but also instilled a sense of hope in the man and his family during a challenging period. Such benevolent deeds have a ripple effect that can motivate others to follow suit, resulting in a better world for everyone.
As the man’s wife stepped out of the car, she approached her husband and asked him what was going on. He revealed that a kind stranger had just paid for their gas, leaving her in tears of gratitude. Overwhelmed with emotion, she walked over to Nicole and shook her hand, revealing her dirty and torn pants in the process. Sensing her distress, Nicole invited her to her car and told her to take what she needed.
Nicole had recently lost some of her luggage during her travels from California to Minnesota, forcing her to clean out her closet and discard some of her clothes. As a result, she had a few remaining items sitting in the back seat and trunk of her car. The lady ran back to her car and excitedly dug through the clothes, layering Nicole’s sweatshirts, shirts, and sweatpants over the worn-out clothes she had been wearing.
Shortly after, the man finished pumping gas and joined his family. The sight of strangers helping one another attracted a small crowd at the gas station, and soon, more acts of kindness followed. An older man gifted the family with a gift card, while another middle-aged man gave his jacket to the father.
Nicole was moved by the outpouring of kindness and generosity, which she never expected to witness at a gas station among complete strangers. It gave her hope that the love of God can spread like wildfire and change lives. She believed that through small acts of kindness, people can be the change they want to see in the world, and that God’s love is greater than anything, reminding her that He always provides.