Deliberately Random Acts of Kindness: Part 1

By: Brendan Epps

What?

I had breakfast with a group of guys and we had an amazing fellowship. We shared our respective paths to spiritual growth and agreed to help each other remain accountable to our goals. When the checks came, one suggested we leave a sizable tip, much larger than any of us would normally leave. Another jokingly asked, “Was the service really that good?” We knew the tip wasn’t about the service we received, but our service to someone else. We split the tip amongst us and stepped outside to continue our conversation. Our server came out to say a watery-eyed, “Thank you!” She explained that she had been praying for her situation—her car was in the shop—and she needed the exact amount we tipped for the repairs.

Why?

I’ve seen email forwards and memes about situations like this and it was amazing the feeling of being an instrument toward helping someone in need. We didn’t make a show of it, or expect anything in return. But hearing that young lady’s story in person drove home the importance of helping others. It reminded me that kindness isn’t just something to read about, it’s something to do as well.

We all have rough days, sometimes they stretch into weeks or months. So we can relate to others having those rough days. Random acts of kindness can touch people in ways we can’t even imagine. And, when it’s sincere, there’s never a bad time to be kind. Kindness is contagious. Ever heard the phrase “pay it forward?”

How?

Giving to others is certainly an act of kindness. As Pastor Jason Sharp shares in his blog post, reminds us “the act of giving answers something from within.” Though, you don’t have to have a lot of money, or give money away, to be kind. In fact, our act of kindness was less about the money and more about the spirit of doing something for someone else. A few easy ways to be kind to someone else without spending a dime are:

•Hold the door for the person behind you
•Let someone ahead of you in line
•Pay someone a genuine compliment
•Listen to someone, even if you don’t want to…sometimes we just need to be heard
•Volunteer at your local Y for an event
•Smile
•Say, “Good morning/afternoon/evening!"

Some days it seems like we as a society care less and less about each other. We see disrespectful social media posts, headlines, and politics, and sometimes in the way we treat each other. It seems to challenge our mental health. Be kind to one another. Look around. Listen.

As you deliberately perform random acts of kindness, please share them with me at successprep@gmail.com so I can include some of them in Part 2 of this blog as reminders that we’re not alone doing good to others.