Well-known journalist Steve Hartman featured 6-year old Jaden Hayes on a CBS news report Aug. 7. Jayden’s dad died two years ago, and in early July of this year, his mom died unexpectedly.

"After attending a funeral and a viewing and seeing all these grownups walking around not smiling, he just got tired of people with sad, frowny faces," recalled Barbara DiCola, his mother's sister. "He really wanted to make people smile and so asked me how we could make people do that." DiCola told Jaden the best way to make someone smile was to smile at them first, but she also warned him that this technique doesn't always work on everyone.

"So he says, ‘Well, what if you give them a toy?’” she said. So then Jaden started on a mission to make people smile by giving them a toy. Except for the first several days after the death of his mother, who DiCola said died in her sleep, Jaden has "been a little miracle" in the way he's handled his most recent tragedy.

People have been touched by the story of this young boy from Savannah, Georgia. "I don't know how his little brain is processing it, but I think this all is helping in his healing process," his aunt said. By Jayden doing this, it is helping the rest of the family to heal from such a tragedy. You can read and see photos of this amazing boy here.

Even at a young age, Jayden has hit on the formula of what helps all us heal. Reaching out from our own tragedy to help others heal is what God teaches us. G. K. Chesterton, an English journalist, once wrote, “The really great person is the person who makes every person feel great.”

The power of encouragement can never be underestimated in the lives of each other. We all need it and we all need to give it in order to make it in this life. It is easy to find fault with one another, but to be an encourager is closer to the spirit of Christ. That could even include putting a smile on others’ faces as Jayden is doing.

Ask God to use you to encourage others through their pain as Jayden is doing. By your own pain, you will be able to understand and help in a far greater way. Out of the mouth of babes, Jayden has set that example by reaching out of his own pain and by putting a smile on people’s faces with his little toys and his smile.

The Bible is full of instruction to do this. "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24). Elsewhere it says to “encourage one another and build each other up" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). It doesn't take much time but the results can be amazing! If a 6-year-old can do it, then we can do it too!