Living a Life of Kindness: Seek the Things That Are from God

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
—Matthew 6:33

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
—Galatians 5:22–23

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
—Hebrews 13:2

Small acts of kindness have shaped my life in many ways great and small. As a child, my elementary music teacher gave me many opportunities to share my love of music as a budding pianist for our school class. As a student, I was allowed to develop my skills as a composer and hear my compositions performed by kids and adults, both in middle and high school and at my church. An adult friend wrote a recommendation that helped me gain access to a summer music immersion experience, paving the path to where I am today as a minister and a musician.

As an adult, I went through an incredibly difficult year. At one of the lowest points in my life, church friends wrapped me in their arms and cared for me, carrying me through a time I didn’t have the strength for on my own. Their kindness was demonstrated in tangible, meaningful ways. Countless meals were provided for my family; a designer friend custom-painted the bedrooms of my children. Another friend took me shopping for new clothes. One afternoon I came home to discover my yard had been mysteriously mowed and manicured. There were hugs, quiet conversations, loads of tears, and plenty of patience. Several of my church friends even remodeled part of our home while I was away on a trip. During those dark days, the church was the hands and feet of Christ to me. I was not unique in the caring eyes of these angels. I was a child of God, just one of countless recipients of their selfless, loving kindness.

I have a hunch you can recall angels in your life who have influenced your journey in meaningful ways big and small. I’m pretty certain that the small church in North Carolina that expressed so much kindness to me doesn’t have the corner on caring. Acts of love and kindness rarely go unnoticed and often carry far more meaning and weight than could have possibly been imagined.

This past week, I helped lead a performing arts camp where children presented the timeless classic musical Down by the Creek Bank by Dottie Rambo and David Huntsinger. The camp included singing, acting, musical instruments, and missions. The highlight of the week for me was the closing song Is There Anything I Can Do for You? While the children sang this simple, beautiful melody, pictures flashed on the screen of the children packing lunches for the food-insecure members of our community and learning about the hard choices those who suffer from poverty are forced to make. It was a vivid reminder of how so many simple things we do can have a big impact on the lives of others.

I hope one day, my life will be remembered by some of the acts of kindness I have committed along the way. Perhaps some good questions we can ask ourselves today are:

Is there anything I can do for you?
Is there anything I can be for you?
Is there anywhere I can go for you?