Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. -Acts 28:1-2
[Back Story: Tonight, after talking to a great friend of mine, I decided I am going to do what I have been longing to do, and that is to start the “Settle My Soul” devotional which is apart of the A Pressing Pause Devotional series. So I am taking a break from “The Better Mom Devotional” in order to do this one. There was something about the first book, “Pressing Pause” that I just loved and cherished so much that “Settle My Soul” has just been calling my name for months now to just start already and I can’t take it anymore. So here I am switching between the two books, and will get back to their individual devotions soon.]
This is something that has been on my heart a bunch lately. Just being kind. No matter what, show kindness, grace and love like Jesus would. Or to at least try to show like Jesus would show grace and kindness. There have been many ways I have been trying to do that with simply just telling someone I love their outfit, or telling someone how great they look that day, a kind smile when I can see someone needs one, spreading positive messages across social media, etc. There are so many ways I want to show kindness that I truly feel like I am not doing enough. As I type those few sentences out – I feel that I am lacking big time still. There is just SO MUCH more I could and should be doing in order to scatter more unusual kindness.
I’m sitting here lost in thought, truly contemplating how to just be better. And I know there is so much more I can do, so I guess this write-up is going to turn into a list of ideas on how I can spread around more kindness in Jesus’s name. If you’re actually reading this, feel free to make suggestions in the comments.
Unusual Kindness Ideas:
Pay for someone’s meal
Give a random person a hug just because
Buy a friend a cup of coffee
Check in on an old friend
Give away a free mini session
See a stranger struggling – offer to help in anyway
Offer to make a dinner for a family struggling for a break
Invite a family over that could use some time with friends
Get involved with Brown Bag Buddies at church
Help someone with just simple something they may need
Call and ask a friend if they need anything because they may be too scared to ask
Tell everyone I know I love them even if they are “hard to love”
Pray – truly pray for individuals
Less gossiping – more worshiping
Simply just listen and care for
I’m sure some of these seem like mediocre things. However, I think they are things that can make a big impact on someone’s day. Kindness changes everything. Kindness is all that matters in the end.
How would you treat, perform and behave if Jesus was in town, attending your church, staying in your home, walking with you every day? Every single person who crosses our path should be treated with the same amount of kindness, grace and love because they too are God’s child, and they too need to see Jesus in you.
This will be a good challenge for this week to try and commit to, and not just this week but every single day. To treat someone with the same kind of grace, love, and kindness I would show Jesus if he stood here by me today. To know they are not Jesus, not even close, maybe “not deserving” at all (in my book/opinion) of any kind of kindness and respect because they are that rude, or that unkind, to me or others, themselves. But to still treat them with the kind of grace, love and kindness I would show Jesus.
That, to me, is true kindness and love. And I pray that is what I can do.
Father, as I encounter people today (and every day), help me remember the example of the islanders of Malta and show others unusual kindness done in Your name. In Jesus’ name, (I pray, I thank you and I love you unconditionally), amen.
Quote in image by unknown (I did not write it, I just designed it).
Source: Settle My Soul Devotional, page 1