The Christian Working Woman - What is Your Banana Ministry?

My friend Judy was a missionary living in Nairobi, Kenya. She traveled a good deal in and around Nairobi, and if you’ve ever been there, you know it’s pretty much a continual traffic jam. And there are always people lined up on the streets selling everything you can imagine—including to my horror, puppies.

One day Judy was traveling with her driver, Baraza, and she saw a woman selling bananas, with a baby strapped to her back and two others playing at her feet. Judy told Baraza, “Pull over; I want to buy some bananas.” She gave him the equivalent of about two dollars and told him to buy all her bananas—about 20. “But Sister,” he said, “why are you buying 20 bananas? You can’t eat that many.” “Just buy them,” she told him.

He was baffled as to why Judy would want so many bananas, since she lives alone, but he did as she insisted. When he paid the lady for all her bananas, her face lit up with a huge, incredulous smile. That probably represented two days of food for her and her family. Baraza said, “Sister, did you see how happy she was. You did a good thing for her.”

Then they traveled on, and Judy saw a crippled man with only one leg by the side of the road. She told Baraza to stop and give him some bananas. Once again, Baraza saw how thrilled the man was to get the bananas. This went on for their entire journey until Judy had given away all the bananas. Baraza—who is a wonderful believer—said, “Sister, this was so good. I can do this. I can give away bananas.” And as a result, Baraza began to carry bananas, apples, and other fruit with him to give to people randomly as God led him. So, he had a banana ministry.

What do you have in your hands that could easily become gifts of love to the people in your life—strangers, coworkers, family, friends—whoever?  I’m suggesting that every one of us should look for our banana ministry—something we intentionally do to share the love of God.

You’re probably familiar with the phrase “random acts of kindness.” Actually, it has become a movement, encouraging people to purposely plan and perform kind acts for others. Lots of research has been done that shows the incredible benefits for the person who decides to plan and execute random acts of kindness. According to research from Emory University, when you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed—not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper’s high.”

Isn’t it interesting that when people follow the principles of Scripture, whether they are believers or not, they discover it benefits everyone. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone. . . (2 Timothy 2:24). And to the church in Colossae he wrote: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3: