A Random Act of Kindness

In our Christian life, we should have a profound understanding of grace and holiness, a vision for our Christian life that seeks not only salvation but a life transformed by the love of Christ. John Wesley often spoke about the transforming power of God's love and how it should compel us to reflect it on others. It is not just that we should believe, but we must act in love, grace, and mercy.

A lot of times, when we think about random acts of kindness, they may seem like small, even fleeting gestures. Still, from our Christian perspective, they are expressions of a more profound truth: God's love for us is so vast and unmerited that it compels us to reach out with love towards others in big and small ways. These acts are not merely human goodwill or obligations to society but rooted in Christ's love that overflows from our hearts and transforms the world around us. They open doors for us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

A Call to Grace in Action

Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-39, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Loving God with all our hearts, soul, and mind and loving our neighbors as our self is not passive but must be active. We cannot just sit around saying we love God and not take that love to the world. That love can be shown as a simple act of kindness, whether paying for somebody's coffee, helping an elderly neighbor carry their groceries in, or just offering a kind word to a weary soul. When we do these simple acts, we partner with God in the work of grace.

Jesus shares a parable in Luke 10:30-35 after somebody asks him who his neighbor is, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'"

The Samaritans were not just looked down upon by the Jewish people but were considered less than human by them. This parable's Samaritan stopped and cared for this Jewish man who hated him. We do not know if this Jewish man ever met the Samaritan because the impression that the parable gives is that the Jewish man was unconscious. The Samaritan band-aided him up and took him to the equivalent of a hospital at that time. It was an act of kindness. This Jewish man may have never known it was a Samaritan who took care of him when he had a hard time.

Jesus did not stop at just telling the story, he asked this person who asked him who his neighbor was a question. Jesus asked, "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" (Luke 10:36). It is essential to see how this person answered Jesus and what Jesus told him to do. "The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." We must look for opportunities to do acts of kindness; sometimes, a simple act can change a person's life.

John Wesley understood the importance of grace and how it goes before us, preparing our hearts for good works. He saw that the acts of kindness invited others to experience this same grace. This grace is the unearned, free gift of God's Love that changes lives. When we do not act kindly towards others, we do not practically share God's love and often overlook others who really need that grace.

The Kingdom of God in Small Things

Matthew 7:12, which is also known as the golden rule, sums up beautifully how we should be looking to do the simplest acts of kindness. It states, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." We must remember that the Kingdom of God is not always about grand gestures, but sometimes the small, quiet moments when we reflect Christ's love for us. When we engage in random acts of kindness, we embody Christ's presence in this world, letting his love shine through us, even in the simplest way, can speak volumes.

People who know me know that I love my coffee in the morning. When I was in the hospital, getting a good cup of coffee was hard. When I was close to home, my wife would bring me coffee in the morning; however, one day, a nurse brightened my day by getting me a good cup of coffee. It made me feel so loved that it made me reflect on God's love for me. It was just a simple act, but I greatly appreciate that nurse for doing that.

As we go about our lives, I encourage you not to underestimate the power of a random act of kindness. It may seem insignificant to grander things, but nothing is too small in the economy of God's Grace. Every act of love is a testimony of God's work within us, and when we do these acts of kindness, it's an opportunity to draw others closer to his love.

Pray about someone you could show some kindness to today. It could be a stranger, a coworker, a friend, or even a family member who has done you wrong. God will put it on your heart, someone who is struggling, and a simple act of kindness could be the very thing they need to be reminded of God's love and how he values them. Remember John Wesley often said that "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." I want to encourage you to live out this wisdom through random acts of kindness wherever you go, and God will open the door of this person's heart for the Gospel to be shared. It may be right then, or someone else down the road, to help that person become a follower of Christ Jesus. Your simple act of kindness could have been the starting point. So do all the acts of kindness you can, every chance you can to all the people you can, and you will live out Christ's love for this world.