World Kindness Day

by Miss Alyssa

World Kindness Day is November 13th.

God has shown us such kindness!

“That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:7-9

Knowing this should make us so thankful, and kindness should overflow from us to others. This world is in desperate need of kindness. We, as the body of Christ, should be showing the most kindness to all the nations.

The second definition of kindness from Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary is:
Act of good will; beneficence; any act of benevolence which promotes the happiness or welfare of others. Charity, hospitality, attentions to the wants of others, &, are deemed acts of kindness, or kindnesses.

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

Here are some ways to show kindness:

Pray: Pray for the unreached and destitute. Pray for your family, friends, and neighbors. Pray for the countries and people groups of the world. Joshua Project is a wonderful site to use in learning about the spiritual and physical condition of people groups around the world.

Give: There are so many things we can give. A caring smile, a listening ear, a loving hug, a kind note, an encouraging word, etc. Let’s be good stewards of what God has given us! Our time, talents, and treasures should be in complete surrender to His will. Let us look for ways we can use them to reach the unreached, help the needy, and glorify God.

Some suggestions for ways to use our “treasures” include: sponsoring a child in a developing country, sending money to support helpless widows and orphans, sponsoring a native missionary, sending money to feed starving people, funding a well and supplying clean water, sending money or supplies to help persecuted believers, funding the distribution of Bibles and tracts, packing shoe boxes for needy children through Operation Christmas Child, etc.

Do: This involves getting out there and showing kindness to others. People need help physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The best and kindest thing we can do for them is to share the Gospel and lead them to Christ. We should also try to help them with their physical needs as much as possible. Here are some practical suggestions: helping elderly people with chores/yard work, helping people who are moving, babysitting for single moms, cooking meals for people who are ill, recovering from surgery, or just had a baby, serving at homeless shelters, giving food, water, and Gospel tracts or Bibles to the homeless on the streets, etc.

We can also help meet others’ needs emotionally by our kind, encouraging, edifying words and loving actions (hugging, helping hands, going the extra mile for them, inviting college kids who are away from home to your Thanksgiving dinner, calling and comforting a friend who is going through a difficult time, etc.).

In addition, please don’t neglect to think about what can you do to be kind to your own family members. How can you help make your home an even better place?

Below are some quotes on kindness:

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” Mother Teresa

“Learn to say kind things–nobody ever resents them.” Unknown

“Can you ever remember a time when you regretted having said a kind word?” Unknown

“Hatred and anger are powerless when met with kindness.” Unknown

“Speak your kind words soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” Unknown

“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now.” Unknown

“Kindness is a language which the deaf man can hear and the blind man can read.” Mark Twain

What are some of the ways you show kindness? Any new ideas? I’d love to hear from you!