An act of kindness is exactly what it sounds like- something big or small you do to show kindness to someone else. I think acts of kindness are the best when they are simple and sincere. It can be something as small as a smile or a complimentary word…here are a few examples to get you going. 

Help an elderly neighbor 

If you have an elderly neighbor or friend, there are many things you can do to help them out. Sometimes what an elderly person needs the most is someone to talk to. You could offer to go to the grocery store or run another errand for them. You could take them dinner, or pack up several portions for them to keep in their freezer. If you want to bless someone, but you don’t live close to them, you can even have groceries or meals delivered to them. Many times, older people could also use some help with housekeeping, yardwork, or making phone calls. If you don’t immediately see what may be helpful, ask them, and you might be surprised by what they say.

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Pay for the next person in line

Have you ever had someone unexpectedly pay for your coffee or lunch? If you haven’t, you might be surprised just how much of an impact it can have on your whole day! Give that gift to someone you feel God leading you to. If you feel shy about it, try a drive thru…you’ll probably be gone by the time they find out! You can even have little notes ready to leave behind if you want to send a message, such as “God loves you.” or “You matter.” 

Some coffee shops allow you to add money to an account that pays for first responders’ orders or for warm drinks and food for homeless people. Ask, and if they don’t have anything set up like that, maybe you can be the first to encourage it!

If you’re more of a dine-in sort of person, enlist your server to help you covertly pay someone else’s bill and then do your best to keep on a poker face while the person you blessed tries to figure out why their bill is paid!

Bring treats for your coworkers

Treating your coworkers to things you know they love is a beautiful way to show you care. You could bring in everyone’s favorite coffee, home baked treats, lunch, or sweet handwritten notes. You might be surprised how walls start to break down when you show kindness to people, sometimes especially the ones that seem the most closed off.  If you don’t work in an office setting, you could take treats to your local firehouse or police station, or make treats for the Amazon and postal delivery people in your neighborhood.

Hopefully these ideas have got your wheels turning. There are so many ways you can use your specific gifts, talents, and passions to be a blessing to others. Think of what you already have or already know how to do to show kindness to the people in your life. Showing kindness could be the first step towards sharing your faith and telling people about the love God has for them. What random acts of kindness have you done before? 

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God bless you. Stay hopeful!

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It’s a great time to ask ourselves some important questions: is there a need to be in community with other believers? Is virtual church just as good as in-person church? Is there any reason to be physically together for worship? Here are a few Scriptures that can help us sort out the answers. 

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Hebrews 10.24-25

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s supper) and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.

Acts 2.42-44

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians 4.14-16

There are several important points we can see in these verses. The first and most simple, is that in Hebrews God told us not to neglect meeting together. It’s an issue of obedience… for our own benefit. He knows the enemy would like nothing more than to keep us isolated, and therefore weak. 

In Acts, we can see the believers doing life together; learning, eating, praying, hanging out, ministering…and the result is power. Verse 43 tells us they performed many signs and wonders. We also see awareness. Because they were together, they could see the needs of the people around them and help. One of the risks of not meeting with other believers is that the distance will just continue to grow. It’s hard to reach out to people you’ve lost contact with, and then you feel even more alone. 

In Ephesians, we see the accountability and the synergy that comes from being part of a community of believers. Other followers of Jesus can point out beliefs we’re allowing to grow that don’t line up with God’s Word and can help us grow into spiritual maturity. 

As part of the body of Christ, we all have callings and specific work to do. We’ve been designed with gifts and strengths that complement and complete the gifts and strengths of those around us. We can’t fulfill our part if we stay separated from the body. 

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God bless you. Stay hopeful!

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