Showing Kindness
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
Luke 6:35, Galatians 6:10, Colossians 3:12-13
Memory Verse
Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ. (CEV)
Does your family have neighbors that you love to do kind things for? Maybe you have helped mow their lawns, brought over meals when one of them was sick, or taken care of their pets when they were on vacation. Your neighbors might have returned those favors or lent your parents a cup of sugar, an egg, or a garden tool or maybe they helped move a big piece of furniture. Being kind to your neighbors is great! Having them be kind back to you is pretty great too.
Maybe you have had the chance to show kindness to other people as well. Maybe at school, you saw a kid in your class that needed a little help carrying a school project and you came alongside with a kind smile and took some of the load. Or maybe you helped your parents or siblings with big chores at home. We can show kindness in many different ways. And when we show kindness to other people, they often pass it along, by doing kind things for us or for someone else that needs it.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul challenged his friends to be kind to everyone they met. And not just one day and then not the next; he wanted them to do it all the time, just like Jesus had done. Jesus was kind to old and young people, sick and healthy people, and people that he knew well or didn’t know at all. He even showed kindness to people that weren’t kind to him. Let’s take on that challenge and show kindness to everyone that we meet today.
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for teaching us about kindness. Help me show kindness today to everyone that I meet. Amen.Related Resources
Bret Lamsma
Bret Lamsma is the Director of Faith Formation at First Christian
Reformed Church in Denver, Colorado. He has also served churches in
California and Michigan. He has a passion for youth ministry and
intergenerational ministry in the local church. When he isn’t working at
church or writing he enjoys hanging out with his wife and 2 children,
hiking, woodworking, and watching movies.