From the Archives…..I can’t think of a better season to show kindness than the season in which we celebrate the birth of our Savior! I hope you enjoy this Motivation from my archives. – Kim
Okay so today’s motivation is not really a teaching but something from my heart. It is something I have observed personally this week and I really want to challenge you in this area today.
This past week two things happened that brought my attention to acts of kindness and our attitudes about them. Let me explain. Several years ago I rented a house from a man named Mike, he and his wife live in another state therefore we never met. However when I moved I offered to find him a renter, which I did, that has been years ago, and since then every time someone moves out of his house, I find him a renter. Or if something needs repaired in the house, I take care of it, it is easier since I live near the house. I have still never met he or his wife, it is just something I have done to help him out.
The other day his renter called and said they were moving, so I called him and let him know and told him I would go and take care of the house, make sure it was ready to rent again and find a renter.
While I was sharing this with my sister what was going on she said ‘how much is he going to pay you?’ I said he doesn’t pay me; I just do it to help him. He appreciates it and has shown his appreciation a couple times but I just do it to help him. It is an act of kindness.
The second thing that happened was this; each year we have a Christmas stroll in my city, it was on Thursday. Several years ago one of the local businesses ask if I could make some homemade treats for their open house. At the time I wasn’t working and it was easy to do so I said sure. Another act of kindness. That was 12 or 14 years ago, the event has grown so the amount of food I have to make has grown each year. But each year they call and say ‘can you make food this year?’ I always do, it isn’t always easy or convenient but they really appreciate it and they let me know they do, so I continue to do this for them.
I was talking with a friend and letting her know what day I had to do this and she said ‘if I had to do that I would say ‘how much does it pay?’ I was surprised but I just commented that I did it to help and they appreciated it greatly, it was no big deal. Breanne and I spent 15 hours baking goodies and were able to deliver those blessings on Thursday. I believe what I teach; you will reap what you sow.
The thing I want to talk with you about today is the reaction I have received from people, expecting to get paid for being kind and helping out. Maybe it’s just me but I was raised in the country, if someone’s barn burned all the neighbors would come out and help build a new one. Or if someone was ill, a neighbor would come and bring soup and offer to help in any way they could. No one ever thought about being paid, it was what you did for family and friends.
However, today it seems that no one wants to do acts of kindness. I have noticed a definite shift and not a good one. Back in the summer I needed help in the yard and called a few people and they all said ‘what does it pay?’ Now, I don’t mind paying people but this was family that had called me at different times to help them with something and money or being paid never entered my mind.
I thought about this all week and I even took a moment to see if the words ‘acts of kindness’ were in the Bible – surprisingly they were. In Psalm 106:7 it said that the children of Israel forgot God’s act of kindness. Aha! God did acts of kindness, then shouldn’t we?
Friends, we do reap what we sow. We really do, if we live a selfish life we will not reap good things; but when we do consider others and do things just to help, just out of the goodness of our heart, God takes note of those times and He will reward us. I have noticed since I have been cooking for this business each year that I have never lacked during the holidays for anything.
THEREFORE – I HAVE A CHALLENGE FOR YOU TODAY –
AND I PRAY THAT ALL OF YOU WILL PARTAKE OF THIS CHALLENGE.
I challenge you to do 3 acts of kindness today – this very day – do three things for someone who has blessed your life – do something personal for them. Do three things – we can all do three things. Do three things for three different people – show kindness – show selflessness – show the love of God – today…take my challenge and do three acts of kindness – I promise you it will make the world a better place.
Once you complete your three acts, feel free to post in the Facebook feed in which this will appear, we would love to hear from you.
May God bless your acts of kindness, May His anointing be upon them and you and may you never be the same again…in Jesus’ name.
