We All Need a Little Jesus

Sometimes he’s wearing a purple sash. Sometimes it’s green. All the time his arms are outstretched and his bearded smile is painted with just the right intensity of warmth to bring an instant uplift, even on the cloudiest of days. Little Jesus is popping up all over Maple Valley, and it’s so stinkin’ cute.

The Tiny Trend involves secretly hiding 1-inch plastic figurines in unexpected places with the hope that someone else will find them. If you find one, you can either keep it, re-hide it, or take a picture of it to share the scavenger hunt online. It weighs less than a plastic paperclip. It costs pennies. Yet when someone finds a tiny figure with bright green sleeves staring up at them from the tire inflation machine at the gas station, their shoulders drop, their mouth turns up, and for three seconds, whatever stress they were carrying gets interrupted.

The spark of happy that these little critters and Christs provide is nondenominational, nondiscriminatory, and noncommittal. It’s part of an undercurrent of nice that seems to circulate in our little town in the foothills. The first time I saw a Little Jesus, he was perched atop the automatic door opener at the post office. I’ve noticed cows and frogs there, but Little Jesus didn’t start making appearances until this spring. Now he’s everywhere.

Lately he’s been multiplying himself at our favorite Mexican restaurant, showing up unannounced at the base of the cash register and among the decorative plants. The owner is a bit distressed about the accumulation of the almighties as her cultural focus is primarily the Blessed Virgin. “I don’t want to throw away Jesus!” she lamented one afternoon, and eagerly handed over the miniatures with a mixture of anxiety and relief. Now I have a lot of little lords on hand. Oh, I’m so on board with this Christ Craze! Much more fun than Elf on a Shelf ever could be. For the record, I was never hooked by that trend and my kids were thankful I wasn’t. Now, Sasquatch on a Shelf? I should market that idea.

Whether it’s a tiny figurine on a cash register or an extra dollar left at a coffee shop, these gestures share the same root: a quiet, lighthearted way of saying, “I’m here, and I hope this brings a small moment of good into your day.” Little Jesus is simply adding another dimension to a town already brimming with kindness.

Random Acts of Kindness

Spreading love is something our town seems to be really good at. During the Covid pandemic, there was an uptick in the Starbucks surprises here in Maple Valley. The drive through for a mocha latte at Four Corners often resulted in the patron in front of me paying for my drink. Appreciatively, I’d pass the kindness on to the next person. One time a barista said the chain maintained for 32 people in a row! What a beautiful reminder at a time when we were all so disconnected that we can still share a commitment to community.

To my heart’s delight, there’s a hiking trail next to the Farmer’s Market that is dotted with little gnomes. Throughout the patch of woods you’ll find them scattered among the ferns and logs. The idea is to search for and admire the little people then secretly add to the populace. Watching a child’s face light up with wonder makes joining in entirely worth it. Such a small thing to do, yet the payoff spreads a warm glow.

Kindness is more than a trend in our little town. It’s part of its charming character. Last year as I was soaking my feet in the salon, to my astonishment, my pedicure was paid for by another customer! In the grocery line when someone was struggling to find change, I watched a kind man dip into his wallet to help. A friend of my daughter’s saw me fighting with the clay soil and thick roots trying to plant an azalea in my back yard. He took the shovel from me along with 10 minutes out of his busy day and put it in the ground for me. The abundance of kindness is everywhere, and it’s kinda hard to miss.

Secretly Paying It Forward

I know firsthand how a single act of kindness can carry you through a dark season. When my husband passed away unexpectedly in 2010, a dear childhood friend of mine sent me a check for $3,000 with the sole request of paying it forward someday. Opening the envelope and seeing the gift – with “Pay it Forward” in the memo line – left me standing at the mailbox in tears. I’ve never had the ability to give someone all $3,000 at once, but over the past 16 years, I’ve put that money back into circulation with smaller acts of kindness to keep the love flowing.

It’s my spiritual practice not to publicize my quiet acts of giving because the blessing is in the doing, not the acknowledgement. The reward isn't recognition; it’s knowing that love came from a place of genuine goodwill. Darkness cannot extinguish God’s love, which exists plentifully in every one of us. All that I have is a gift from God and that which I can return to others is multiplying and amplifying that love.

Passing It On

I visited my daughter’s restaurant with a Little Jesus in my pocket with the hopes of secretly stashing him somewhere. I walked to the back of the food line and looked around for a shelf to discreetly place him. One of the workers noticed me, and having an odd little task in my hands broke the usual hurry of a restaurant shift. It gave us a reason to stop, laugh for a second, and take a moment to pause.

They followed me to my table, pulled out a chair, sat down with a heavy exhale, and began playing with the tiny figure resting on the table. Twirling the one-inch plastic Jesus between two fingers, they looked at it, laughed under their breath, and then the laugh gave way to honesty. “It’s been a heavy week,” they said. For the next ten minutes, the restaurant noise faded into the background while they talked and I listened.

Had I not been there in the back, setting down that Little Jesus, we wouldn’t have that opportunity. It wasn’t about me, but about Christ who took an opportunity to work through me. That is truly what I think Little Jesus is all about – spreading the love one small interaction at a time.

Don’t Let Your Left Hand Know What Your Right Hand is Doing

That’s really what these little plastic figures are doing. They’re tiny, quiet sparks of goodwill left on store shelves and doorframes, reminding us that we don't need grand gestures to pass along a little care to the person standing right next to us.

As I stood up from the restaurant table, I reached into my pocket, brought out another small plastic figure and set him squarely on top of the windowsill near the door. I didn't stick around to see who would find him. I just walked out into the Maple Valley morning, leaving a tiny bit of plastic behind to do its job.

August 12, 2026

p.s. Here is a list of 100 secret acts of kindness split into five fun categories designed so kids, adults, and families can easily do them without ever taking the credit.

Around the Neighborhood

Painted rocks: Leave a painted rock with a happy word on a walking trail.
Library surprise: Hide a dollar bill inside a book at the local library.
Vending change: Tape exact change to a vending machine for the next person.
Sidewalk art: Chalk beautiful drawings or encouraging messages on the sidewalk.
Secret yard work: Rake a neighbor's autumn leaves or scoop snow from their walkway.
Mailbox smiles: Slip an encouraging note into a neighbor's mailbox anonymously.
Park toys: Leave a bottle of bubbles or a pack of sidewalk chalk at a park.
Bird feeders: Hang a homemade pinecone and birdseed feeder in a local tree.
Puppy water: Put out a bowl of fresh, clean water for passing dogs.
Garden weeding: Weed a community flower bed while no one is watching.
Laundromat quarters: Leave a fresh roll of quarters on a machine at a laundromat.
Sandbox treasures: Hide small, clean plastic toy dinosaurs in a park sandbox.
Car flowers: Place a bouquet of wildflowers on a parked car's windshield.
Snack helper: Tape a bag of dimes onto a public snack machine.
Bin buddy: Secretly push a neighbor’s empty trash cans back up their driveway.
Bench notes: Stick a post-it note saying "You are awesome!" on a park bench.
Movie treat: Leave an unpopped bag of microwave popcorn on top of a movie rental box.
Shelter donation: Drop off dog treats outside an animal shelter gate secretly.
Wildflower seeds: Scatter flower seeds in an empty dirt lot to grow beauty.
Bookmark bonus: Tuck a nice bookmark inside a popular book at the library.

Inside the Home (For Family)

Backpack notes: Sneak a sweet drawing or love note into a sibling's backpack.
Dishwasher duty: Empty the dishwasher for your parents in total secret.
Bed maker: Make your sibling's bed beautifully while they brush their teeth.
Wallet love: Slip a "Thank you" note inside a parent's wallet or purse.
Mirror messages: Hide a funny sticky note on the bathroom mirror.
Lunchbox treat: Secretly pack an extra favorite snack into a parent's lunchbox.
Shoe organizer: Arrange the messy shoe rack by the front door silently.
Morning coffee: Pre-load the coffee maker or tea kettle for your parents.
Pillow drawings: Tuck a cheerful drawing under a family member's bedroom pillow.
Chilled water: Refill everyone's water bottles and place them in the fridge.
Laundry fairy: Put away clean laundry that belongs to someone else silently.
Table cleaner: Wipe down the kitchen table and counters right after a meal.
Pet feeder: Feed the family pet early so your family can sleep in.
Shoe notes: Hide a sweet note inside the shoe your sibling wears every day.
Mail gatherer: Bring in the mail and leave it neatly on the counter in secret.
Roll replacer: Replace the empty toilet paper roll with a brand new one.
Living room rescue: Clean up a mess in the living room that you didn't make.
Battery booster: Charge a family member's device when you notice it is low.
Keyboard chocolate: Leave a tiny piece of chocolate on a parent's laptop overnight.
Breakfast setup: Set the breakfast table beautifully the night before.

At School or Workspaces

Desk pencils: Leave a pristine, brand-new pencil on an empty desk for a classmate.
Hallway cleanup: Anonymously clean up dropped trash in the school hallway.
Pocket cards: Tuck a small “Have a great day” card inside a library book pocket.
Teacher flowers: Leave a bouquet of flowers on your teacher's desk early.
Janitor thanks: Write an anonymous thank-you note and tape it to a school trash bin.
Board wiper: Wipe down a dirty dry-erase board at the end of the school day.
Locker smiles: Leave a sticky note with a bright smile drawn on it inside a locker.
Book donor: Donate a few gently used books to your classroom library shelf.
Lost and found: Pick up stray jackets from the playground and return them to the office.
Sticky notes gift: Leave a sealed pack of sticky notes on a teacher's desk.
Game sorter: Organize the shared classroom game or puzzle shelf during recess.
Desk stickers: Place a small package of fun stickers on a classmate’s desk.
Librarian note: Write a kind note to the school librarian and leave it on the desk.
Sharp pencil club: Secretly sharpen a handful of dull pencils in the classroom cup.
Nurse praise: Leave an anonymous note of praise in the school nurse's mailbox.
Playground bonus: Tuck a happy drawing into the bin of playground soccer balls.
Door shadow: Hold the door open from behind a corner so it stays open for others.
Supply fairy: Leave a brand-new box of crayons in the classroom supply bin.
Slide dryer: Anonymously wipe off wet playground slides with a towel after rain.
Chair candy: Leave a small piece of wrapped candy on a teacher's chair.

Out and About (In Stores & Town)

Ride-on coins: Leave a dollar bill inside a plastic ride-on toy at the mall.
Pocket wishes: Hide a sweet note inside a random pocket of a jacket on a clothing rack.
Waiting room fun: Place a coloring book and fresh crayons on a doctor's office table.
Cart returner: Return loose, stray shopping carts from the parking lot to the store bay.
Capsule coins: Tape a coin to a toy capsule vending machine at the store exit.
Bus books: Leave a book you’ve finished on a bus seat with a “Free to Read” tag.
Magazine notes: Hide a nice note inside a magazine at a grocery checkout lane.
Coupon sharing: Place a great coupon next to the matching item on a grocery shelf.
Bucket drop: Drop exact change into a charity donation bucket without making a sound.
Umbrella rescue: Leave an extra umbrella in a public stand during an unexpected storm.
Diaper notes: Tuck a tiny note wishing someone well inside a box of diapers at the store.
Fire station donuts: Anonymously drop off a box of donuts at a local fire station.
Desk pens: Leave a clean, high-quality pen at a customer service desk.
Wiper notes: Tuck a kind note under the windshield wiper of an old, worn car.
Sanitizer drop: Leave a clean, pocket-sized hand sanitizer packet on a park bench.
Tag turner: Turn messy clothing tags inward on store racks to help workers out.
Duck food: Leave a bag of sealed birdseed near a pond with a “For the Ducks” sign.
Nursing home mail: Drop a card into a mailbox addressed generally to a local nursing home.
Lucky pennies: Set a handful of pennies heads-up on the sidewalk for kids to find.
Tip notes: Leave an anonymous thank-you note inside a restaurant tip folder.

Digital & Long-Distance Kindness

Teacher e-card: Send an anonymous e-card to an old teacher who inspired you.
Five-star fan: Leave a glowing five-star review online for a small local business.
Sunny wishes: Mail an anonymous card to a nursing home resident wishing them a sunny day.
Radio request: Anonymously request a happy song to be played on a local radio station.
Project booster: Sign up to be a secret online tester for a kid's creative coding project.
Charity runner: Send a supportive, anonymous message to a charity runner's page.
Driver thanks: Drop an anonymous thank-you card into a delivery driver's drop box.
Good news reporter: Post a positive, uplifting news story to a community page.
Happy playlist: Create a shared playlist of happy songs and send the link anonymously.
Pattern purchase: Pay for a stranger's online crafting pattern or digital download.
Artist love: Leave a positive comment on an independent artist's public video.
Lunch money: Add a few dollars to a friend's online school lunch account in secret.
Pizza surprise: Send a surprise box of pizza anonymously to a friend's house.
Art voter: Anonymously vote for a local student in a community art contest.
Cousin mail: Mail a beautiful postcard to a cousin or relative without signing your name.
Alias email: Send a digital gift card to a struggling friend using a generic name.
Book helper: Leave a positive review for a book you loved to help the author succeed.
Corporate praise: Submit an anonymous compliment about a great retail employee to their website.
Hospital colors: Send crayons and coloring books anonymously to a children's hospital.
Garden mail: Anonymously mail a packet of easy-to-grow flower seeds to a friend.