The late film director Krzysztof Kieslowski was once interviewing actors for a film. During an interview, a young actress described to him how she’d go out and walk the streets of Paris when she felt sad.

As Kieslowski probed further, he learned that 6 years earlier the actress had been close to a breakdown. One day she went out onto the street where she caught sight of the famous French mime artist Marcel Marceau—now a very old man. The actress walked past him, then stopped and turned to give him another glance. Marceau also stopped and turned. He then gave her a big smile lasting several seconds. “He saved me then,” the actress said. Kieslowski and the actress pondered whether all the performances Marceau had ever given compared to the fact that he helped save a young actress with his smile.

Like that actress, millions in our communities walk through life wondering if they matter to anyone. You can reassure them. The apostle John tells us to put our love into action (1 John 3:18). What simpler act of love is there than smiling at someone you pass on the street? While others avoid eye contact, showing indifference, you can imitate the God who is love (1 John 4:7-8). His giving love is revealed through our loving acts (1 John 4:9-12). The gift of your smile shows that you care enough to acknowledge their existence and their great value.

Drive-through restaurants and self-serve checkout lanes go against friendliness. Things like these make it easy to live without looking anyone in the eye. As an act of discipleship, let’s go out of our way to meet people and smile at them. You never know—someone in crisis might just taste God’s grace because of it.

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Deuteronomy 31:1-8