Make My Day. Please! The Power of Kindness

Go Ahead, make my day.   

Clint Eastwood’s famous line from Sudden Impact is obviously not what I mean. We can make someone’s day through the power of kindness.  The old rhyme about “sticks and stones” isn’t true because we know hurtful names and words can really damage a person. We have the choice and power to lift a fellow human beings’ spirits by simple words and gestures of goodwill. 

Random Acts of Kindness

A random act of kindness is a nonpremeditated, inconsistent action designed to offer kindness towards the outside world. Did you know that there is a Foundation and a National day for random acts of kindness? It is on February 17th. Kindness should come natural to Christians because of God’s love in our hearts and all the examples in the bible. But often we need reminders in our busy days. 

Be Spontaneous

 Sometimes elderly people will look at me in the grocery store with a lost expression on their face. I am a short person but I am not afraid to climb a shelf to reach what they need. Holding open a door or putting the shopping cart in the coral are just little common courtisies that make society kind and friendly. Take a moment to place a neighbors trash barrel in their yard. 

Despite his busy schedule Jesus was often spontaneous in showing kindness especially outcasts. 

Mark 10:46–52 (ESV)
…And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped… “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”
And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.                                                                                                                                                   

Intentional Acts of Kindness

Being intentional only takes a little bit of time and effort on our part. Helping a neighbor or making a call to an elderly friend and listening is so appreciated.

Jesus was often intentional and showed great compassion in his interations with people. 

John 4:4–42 
And he had to pass through Samaria.  ( Jesus did not have to pass here. Most Jews would go around rather than go through Samaria)….Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well.  It was about the sixth hour. (which is high noon when everyone else is in the shade)  A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)He then began a conversation with this woman who had a tainted past and offers her Living Water that will satisfy her longings… He knew about her lifestyle and told her it doesn’t matter where you worship God but how.
22But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”  The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.”Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
40-41 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word.

Be Generous

Time and money are valuable commodities that we can share. Carry an extra dollar in your pocket for the kids canning to raise funds or the kettles at Christmas time. Someone “paid it forward” towards me in the coffee line so I did it too. Several people were blessed that day. There must be a million ways we can volunteer our time to a place, a project or by helping a friend.

Matthew 14:14–21 
When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (He had gone to find a quiet spot).Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat. And a little boy offered his lunch to Jesus. He told the crowds to sit down and …taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Jesus was tired and had just heard that his cousin John the Baptist had been beheaded when the crowds found him. Sometimes being kind and generous may also be inconvenient.  Even when it is difficult we are called to follow his example. Be kind to one another.