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Do Kindness
“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor” ( Acts 9:36, NIV),
“At Joppa, which was near Lydda, there lived a woman named Dorcas, whose good deeds had made her greatly beloved. She was a worthy disciple of Jesus, and her life was filled with acts of kindness. She knew who needed comfortable clothing and who needed sympathy, and she freely ministered to the poor and the sorrowful. Her skillful fingers were more active than her tongue” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 131).
“Take care not to do your good deeds publicly or before men, in order to be seen by them; otherwise you will have no reward reserved for and awaiting you with and from your Father Who is in heaven. Thus, whenever you give to the poor, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites in the synagogues and in the streets like to do, that they may be recognized and honored and praised by men. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full already. But when you give to charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your deeds of charity may be in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:1-4, Amplified Bible).
Do Kindness
At the Web site for the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, a person named Cheryl reported the following incident:
“An amazing gift of kindness was given to my young sons (who were 1 and 4 years old at the time) and me as we traveled by plane from Baltimore to Boston in March of 2001. After driving around to find parking for an hour, we boarded the parking lot bus—tired, with tons of bags, and worried we would miss our flight.
“An amazing young woman sitting near us saw the struggles we were about to have getting from the bus, through the airport, and on our plane, and offered to go along with us for help since her flight wasn’t leaving for several hours. She then proceeded to help me carry bags, manage a cart, watch my kids as I dealt with airport personnel, help us through security checks, etc.—all with a sense of humor and lightness that helped me feel less stressed, and I know the boys felt better having some help!
“She was an angel sent at the perfect moment. I hope she somehow will know how much I appreciated her help, and her selfless act of kindness!”
Another person, Kelly, submitted this story:
“Last week a . . . truck driver came to deliver some food to my elderly grandparents. The employee noticed through the window that my grandfather was out mowing his lawn with his push lawnmower.
“He told my grandma it was way too hot and humid to be out there mowing. My grandma agreed but said grandpa is too stubborn to stop.
“So out went the. . . . man, grabbed the mower and finished mowing the lawn.”
- Is it ever difficult to do “random acts of kindness?” Explain your answer.
- Why is it important to keep your kindness a secret?
- Should everyone do acts of kindness or are there some people that are better at finding ways to be kind and helpful to others?
- In the two stories from the ROAK Web site what was remembered about the acts of kindness that were performed? What wasn’t remembered?
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all of his angels, he will sit on his royal throne. The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.’ Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, ‘When did we give you something to eat or drink? When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or visit you while you were sick or in jail?’ The king will answer, ‘Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me." Then the king will say to those on his left, "Get away from me! You are under God's curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! I was hungry, but you did not give me anything to eat, and I was thirsty, but you did not give me anything to drink. I was a stranger, but you did not welcome me, and I was naked, but you did not give me any clothes to wear. I was sick and in jail, but you did not take care of me.’ Then the people will ask, ‘Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?’ The king will say to them, ‘Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Those people will be punished forever. But the ones who pleased God will have eternal life’ ” (Matthew 25:31-46, Contemptorary English Version).
Here’s What I Think
Paul has been a Christian all his life. Ever since he can remember he has been involved in church activities. Lately he has been feeling bored and a little disenchanted with the whole “church experience.” When he heard about Random Acts of Kindness he wanted to try it out. He shared the idea with his friends, but there didn’t seem to be much energy there. “How do you get something like this going?” he asks. “It is so hard to motivate people to try something new.”
What would you suggest? What is the best way to spread the kindness movement? Is he on his own or should he find a partner? How do you think RAOK might affect his church if it were to catch on?
Log on to http://RealTimeFaith.adventist.org to post your responses. Be up-front and honest. Say what you think. The lines below are provided as an alternative to posting. You may want to share you thoughts with your class later.
See Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pp.79,80
1. Highlight the paragraph that tells what real godliness is.
“LET LOVE for your fellow believers continue and be a fixed practice with you [never let it fail]. Do not forget or neglect or refuse to extend hospitality to strangers [in the brotherhood--being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously], for through it some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13: 1, 2, Amplified Bible).
Random Acts of Kindness From the Bible
Complete the puzzle using the clues shown below. Then on the lines below the puzzle write the person’s name and what they did that was kind.
Across
2. I was hated among the Jews but I stopped to save a life anyway. Luke 10:30-37
4. Someone I didn't know asked me for a drink of water and I gave water to him and all 10 of his camels. Genesis 24:10-21
6. She was a disciple who always did good to others acts 9:36
7. You are looking for my master’s name; I was his wife’s maid. I helped save my master’s life. 2 Kings 5:2
8. Andrew asked me to share my lunch. John 6:9
Down
1. My dad wanted to kill my best friend. 1 Samuel 18:3, 4
3. I took food to an army of men. 1 Samuel 25:18, 19
5. Jesus cast demons out of me more than once. I loved Him very much. John 12:3
See Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 81
- Highlight the paragraph that ends with the sentence, “The soul that is sincere in its love, wholehearted in its devotion, God regards as more precious than the golden wedge of Ophir.”
“The grace of Christ in the soul is developing traits of character that are the opposite of selfishness--traits that will refine, ennoble, and enrich the life. Acts of kindness performed in secret will bind hearts together, and will draw them closer to the heart of Him from whom every generous impulse springs. The little attentions, the small acts of love and self-sacrifice, that flow out from the life as quietly as the fragrance from a flower --these constitute no small share of the blessings and happiness of life. And it will be found at last that the denial of self for the good and happiness of others, however humble and uncommended here, is recognized in heaven as a token of our union with Him, the King of glory, who was rich, yet for our sake became poor”(God’s Amazing Grace, p. 337).
So What?
The key to developing RAOK (Random Acts of Kindness) as a way of life for you and your friends is a three-part process. We have to be kindheaded, kindhanded, and kindhearted. Sometimes it works in that order. Often, showing kindness to someone you don’t like is a sheer act of will based on the knowledge (kindheaded) that Jesus loves them. But claim the power of God’s grace and just do something kind for them (kindhearted). While you my not have an overnight change of heart, over time you will change. You will experience a different kind of love (God’s agape love) and you will never be the same (kindhearted). Think of people you have a hard time extending kindness to. You don’t have to start there, but doing Random Acts of Kindness is about being ready for anything. After practicing a few RAOK, take a few minutes and reflect on the experience and what you learned from it.
Fill in the blanks.
- “A _______ man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.” Proverbs 11:17 (NIV)
- “An _______ heart weighs a man down, but a ________ word cheers him up.” Proverbs 12:25 (NIV)
- “He who despises his __________________ sins, but ________ is he who is kind to the _______________.” Proverbs 14:21 (NIV)
- “He who ___________ the poor shows ____________ for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the __________honors God.” Proverbs 14:31 (NIV)
- “He who is _________ to the ___________ lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done.” Proverbs 19:17 (NIV)
- “Love is _________, love is ___________, it does not _______. It does not ______________, it is not ______________.” 1 Corinthians 13:4
- “Make sure that ____________ pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be _____________ to each other and to everyone else.” 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NIV)
- “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith; ________________, and to _______________, ______________ ;and to ______________, ________________________; and to _______________, ____________________________: and to _____________________, __________________ ;and to ___________________, brotherly ____________;and to brotherly _______________, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8 (NIV)
See Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing p. 82.
- Highlight the paragraph with this sentence, “Acts of kindness performed in secret will bind hearts together, and will draw them closer to the heart of Him from whom every generous impulse springs. The little attentions, the small acts of love and self-sacrifice, that flow out from the life as quietly as the fragrance from a flower—these constitute no small share of the blessings and happiness of life.”
“The parable [Matthew 25:14-30] presents a truth which all should understand. God has not distributed his talents capriciously. To every man are given abilities which will fit him for the work he is called to do. To one are committed five talents; to another, two; to another, one: and each is accountable to God for his gifts. A time is coming when Christ will require his own with usury. He will say to each of his stewards, ‘Give an account of thy stewardship.’ Those who have hid their Lord's money in the earth, in worldly investments, instead of putting it out to the exchangers, to increase by use; and those who have squandered his money by expending it for needless things, instead of investing it in his cause, will receive the condemnation of the Master. Not only will they lose the talent lent them by God, but they will lose eternal life. The command will be given: ‘Take therefore the talent from him, . . . and cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ The faithful servant, who invests his talent in the cause of God, who uses his money to the glory of God, will receive the commendation, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant; . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’ What will be this joy of the Lord? --It will be the joy of seeing souls saved in the kingdom of God. Those who are faithful stewards are partners with Christ, who, ‘for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God’ ” (The Youth’s Instructor, Noveber 23, 1899)
What Does This Have To Do With Me?
“Well done!” It is one of the most heartwarming phrases that two ears have ever heard. It was spoken of Jesus after He had paid the highest cost of setting us free at Calvary. “Father, forgive them” is the most precious one-liner of them all. What about the promise “You will be with Me in Paradise”? That’s a beauty! When the weight of sin finally crushed the heart of Christ on the cross He cried, “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken Me?”
One-liners. These are the biggest one-liners in history, and they depict the very heart of God for people. You can pack a lot of love in little statements. Those little statements are lifeless without the actions behind them. What we can be sure of is this: God loved people so much that He wasn’t content to just tell them. He was determined to show them His love. Now the same Godlike joy waits for you to experience as you share kindness with others. You could just tell them about God. But it might be more believable if you showed them.
See Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 83.
- Highlight the paragraph that begins, “He who gives increased talents to those who have made a wise improvement. . . .”
“We must forget self in loving service for others. . . . We may not remember some act of kindness which we do, it may fade from our memory; but eternity will bring out in all its brightness every act done for the salvation of souls, every word spoken for the comfort of God's children; and these deeds done for Christ's sake will be a part of our joy through all eternity” (In Heavenly Places, p. 230).
How Does It Work?
The key to developing RAOK (Random Acts of Kindness) as a way of life for you and your friends is a three-part process. We have to be kindheaded, kindhanded, and kindhearted. Sometimes it works in that order. Often, showing kindness to someone you don’t like is a sheer act of will based on the knowledge (kindheaded) that Jesus loves them. But claim the power of God’s grace and just do something kind for them (kindhanded). While you may not have an overnight change of heart, over time you will change. You will experience a different kind of love (God’s agape love) and you will never be the same (kindhearted). Think of people you have a hard time extending kindness to. You don’t have to start there, but doing Random Acts of Kindness is about being ready for anything. After practicing a few RAOK, take a few minutes and reflect on the experience and what you learned from it.
Kindheaded
Kindhearted
Kindhanded