Being kind matters and the little acts that we do throughout our day really do make a difference. There is a campaign going on right now called Being Kind Counts, encouraging us all to be kind and spread the message.
It can be easy to become overwhelmed thinking that acts of kindness need to be big and glorious or cost money to mean anything. Sure, those things do make a difference and are a great way to show kindness but they aren’t the only way. Sometimes the small and heartfelt things can mean just as much to someone. Being kind doesn’t have to cost money! It can be done on a budget of any size.
There might be times when your act of kindness isn’t even noticed. That’s okay too. We don’t serve and give to be noticed and acknowledged.
An example of a small way to show kindness is doing something you shouldn’t have to do.
I’m speaking from experience here. Last week I had two such situations arise. There was a shower at our church Sunday afternoon. Two staff member spouses hosted the shower. That means things should be cleaned up well, right? Well, I walked into work (church) Monday morning and dirty dishes were piled on the counter, the sinks needed rinsed out of cake debris, and the counters cleared off. I ignored it. I ignored it all the way up until Thursday when I was fewer than 2 hours away from being done with work for the week. This campaign crossed my mind and I decided to be kind and bless the hostess of the shower (even though they’d never know it) and also bless the lady who would walk into church early Sunday morning to make breakfast for everyone. #beingkindcounts
The second time was similar, only it occurred in our home. My husband takes food for lunch everyday and typically brings home the containers everyday or two. The rule kind-of is, if you stock pile dirty containers for a week or more, I’m not going to be the one to clean them. They get gross and stinky so he washes them when he lets them pile up. Well, one night Shaun came home with a Wal-Mart sack full of containers and set it beside the sink and said he’d wash them. They sat there several hours, maybe even overnight. All I know is they didn’t didn’t even move out of the sack, instead they were taking up valuable counter space. I was cleaning up the rest of the kitchen and putting away dishes and was about to go and request that Shaun wash them but I didn’t. Once again I remembered this campaign and sucked it up and decided to wash them instead. #beingkindcounts
This week as you are going about your normal life, I challenge you to look for little (and big) ways that you can bless those around you and show kindness even if it will never be noticed. After you do your deeds, pass the challenge on to two other people and keep the momentum going! You can go to Being Kind Counts and submit your good deed and read about the others.
What good deeds have you done recently? Any in mind that you are going to do this week?
Linking up to these fun parties!
You are so right that we need to be kind and serve more. I often fall into the trap of “it’s not my job!” and will get upset waiting for other people to do what they are supposed to, but that isn’t serving. (It is a different story though with my kids since it isn’t kind teaching them that someone else will just wait on them instead of learning responsibility! It will hurt them in the long run!) Thanks for the good reminder!
-S.L. Payne, uncommongrace.net
I hear you! Neither of those things were my job, but I needed to just do them instead of venting and show kindness. Yes, I agree when it comes to the kids. We need to be helping them to learn to be responsible and follow through with their own things as well as notice what they can do for others.
Being kind does count. Love this. It doesn’t cost money. It maybe costs time. It develops relationships and also makes us better people. Thanks for a great post.
So true – give time really does build relationships. Sometimes it’s easier to do those big things instead of the little ones of serving those closest to us. Thanks for stopping by.