January 25-29, 2021 was designated as the “Great Kindness Challenge”, (GKC) in schools across the world.  In 2020, the GKC impacted over 15 million students in over 28 thousand schools worldwide.  This GKC reached over 110 countries and included over 750 million acts of kindness.  That is awesome!

And yet, I wonder with so much kindness is in the world,  why do we still get impatient at the grocery check out, feel violated when someone cuts us off in traffic, and lose our cool when our authority is in question?  Perhaps it’s because we haven’t quite grasped the fundamental impact of kindness.  

Kindness is a selfless act of compassion and mercy.  It demonstrates that you are willing to put yourself last and put the needs of another first.  You’ve made a conscious choice to make “kindness matter” because it is important to you and it’s the right thing to do.  Kindness embraces the command to love your neighbor as yourself.

“Love is patient and kind” 

1 Corinthians 13:4

Many years ago I was visiting a kindergarten class and noticed a big sign on top of a bulletin board that read, “Kindness Matters”.  I thought to myself, why of course it matters, why wouldn’t it matter?  Is it not amazing that we have to be reminded to be kind to one another.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 

Ephesians 4:32

If you have kindness in your heart, it is because you are able to reflect the love and kindness of God the Father.  His kindness shows no boundaries.  He forgives with his loving kindness and He expects us to do the same.  There is no room for hateful, rude or judgmental behavior in the kingdom of believers. Our calling is to be kind to one another even when we have opposing views.  That just might be the most important value we can demonstrate in our current social and political environments.  

We can still show great kindness even when we disagree, it can be done with great care.  Our verbal disagreements can be tempered with warmth, civility and kindhearted words.   A wise person knows when to speak the truth with love and kindness and when to hold their tongue out of respect and decorum.  

…”speak the truth in love….”

Ephesians 4:15

Have Your Own Kindness Challenge

A kindness challenge can be a fun way to show others that you have the ability to show grace and mercy to others, even to those that do not know Christ.  When we share the love of Christ to others through random acts of kindness, we are saying to the world that we love you, we care for you, and we value you because Christ died for you.  My actions are just an extension of the love of Christ.  

It may be fun to do a kindness challenge for a day, or maybe even a week, however, the biggest challenge is to see if you can share random acts of kindness each day.  Let’s make a choice to choose kindness!

Here are a few ideas in which you can partake in a daily kindness challenge.

• write a kind note to a friend
• recycle your trash
• pick up trash around your neighborhood
• write a note of appreciation to a teacher, pastor, postal worker
• drop off some snacks to the local fire department or police station
• volunteer at a food pantry
• drop off a baked good to a neighbor
• offer to shovel snow for a neighbor’s driveway
• offer to mow a neighbor’s yard
• call a friend and invite them for a walk in the park
• pay for someone’s coffee/tea or meal at a fast-food restaurant
• let someone go ahead of you in line at the grocery store
• tell the clerk at the grocery store thank you 
• drop off water bottles and snacks at a homeless shelter

These are just a few random acts of kindness that you can choose from, or create your own kindness act.  It is said that the more you give to others the more you receive in return.  Your happiness increases when you do for others.  Let’s strive to make the world a better place by showing kindness each day.  Sometimes it’s the simple things that have a lasting impact, seeds of kindness can grow gardens that bloom for a lifetime.

Take a moment to think about the kindest person you know.  What makes them so kind?  There are some people that just naturally know how to embrace a need.  They simply react with a kind gesture or even an encouraging comment without expecting anything in return.  

Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. 

Psalm 112:5

Perhaps the most impactful act of kindness is one that isn’t posted on Facebook, isn’t pictured on Instagram, or talked about on Twitter, it’s a simple act that goes unnoticed by the world, but is felt so deeply by the receiver.   Selfless acts of caring and compassion are the standard by which your Christian values should be based.  Maybe the world won’t applaud your efforts of showing kindness, you may not get a certificate, or an interview on tv, but your Father in Heaven will take notice.  

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great…” 

Luke 6:35

Let’s remember that kindness is not just a weekly challenge but a daily challenge.  Random acts of kindness lift your spirits, whether you are the receiver or giver.    

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