by Sally Matheny
 |
| A Twist of Faith on Random Acts of Kindness |
There are many stories about random acts of kindness. I recently read about a family waiting until a neighbor went to work. Then, they secretly
placed a festive welcome mat at her front door. The children especially liked giving in secret;
much like that St. Nicholas fellow did long ago.
Not expecting anything in return, not even recognition, helps keep the giver humble and focused on the giving.
Not expecting anything in return, not even recognition, helps keep the giver humble and focused on the giving.
Doing kind deeds is a great way to help us concentrate on other people rather than ourselves. Children, who are constantly adding to their wish lists, are prime candidates for this type of project.
There are tags available on-line to leave for the recipients of random acts of kindness. But I don't care for the slogan ,"You've been R.A.C.K.'ed!" (Random ACt of Kindness)
I wanted to create a different kind of tag. I desired to add a twist of faith—something that told about the ultimate act of kindness—that of Jesus Christ. The result is a card that begins: “You’re B.A.C.K.! (Blessed by an Act of Christian Kindness). The card ends by sharing about God's greatest act of kindness and how it isn't random at all, but intentional.
I wanted to create a different kind of tag. I desired to add a twist of faith—something that told about the ultimate act of kindness—that of Jesus Christ. The result is a card that begins: “You’re B.A.C.K.! (Blessed by an Act of Christian Kindness). The card ends by sharing about God's greatest act of kindness and how it isn't random at all, but intentional.
Perhaps your family would like to secretly bless someone. Feel free to use my wording below if you like. This selection of words allows year-round
use of the card, not just for Christmas.
You’re
B.A.C.K.!
(Blessed by an Act of Christian Kindness)
You've been blessed by an act of Christian kindness.
You’ve heard of people doing
random acts of kindness, right?
Good news!
The best acts of kindness are from God.
But his deeds are never random.
Because God loves us so much,
he intentionally
sent his only Son,
sent his only Son,
Jesus Christ to save us.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
When life ends here on earth,
whoever believes in him
will live forever
in heaven.
We hope you enjoy God’s blessings.
For my family's use, I purchased an inexpensive, bulk pack of foam angels. After printing out
the card, I trimmed it to fit, and glued it to the angel. You may want to print yours on card stock or decorative copy paper. Children can
add drawings or stickers.
Decide who will receive the blessings. Some ideas work better with people you know well. While other suggestions
work just as well with strangers.
What will your blessing be? If you know the person, consider things they
need or enjoy.
Is it a new mom? Consider leaving a bag of paper products for fast and easy cleanup.
Is it a single parent? Perhaps baked cookies and the ingredients for homemade icing--a fun activity for the
parent to do with the kids later.
The college kid? Surprise them with a small,
artificial tree with ornaments sitting outside their dorm room or pre-pay for a
pizza and have it delivered to them.
The waiter? Double the tip.
The cashier? The butcher? Warm gloves
or a gift certificate.
Someone who recently had surgery? Craft
supplies, movies, music, books
Here are a few more ideas:
Concert or movie tickets
Coffee mug with a sampler pack of coffee
A roll of quarters
A music CD
A music CD
A devotion book
Gift certificates
Umbrellas in shopping carts on cloudy days
Umbrellas in shopping carts on cloudy days
Something hand-made
Rake
their leaves while they’re at work
Hang
a wreath on their front door
Leave
flowers or a potted plant, candy or a gift basket
Mail them a sheet of stamps
Consider leaving gift
certificates under the windshield wipers on various cars in a parking lot.
Or, if you own a business, paper clip the Christian Kindness card to a note and ask them to bring the card to the business for a free _______. (cupcake from the bakery, sandwich from the deli, car wash, haircut, etc.)
Or, if you own a business, paper clip the Christian Kindness card to a note and ask them to bring the card to the business for a free _______. (cupcake from the bakery, sandwich from the deli, car wash, haircut, etc.)
If you wish, you can tell the recipient the gift was pre-purchased by someone who wishes to
remain anonymous.
Occasionally, we've watched from a distance when someone found their angel attached to a surprise gift. They look around with a huge smile to see who blessed them. Their delighted expressions proved to us it is better to give than to receive. What joy we felt!
Occasionally, we've watched from a distance when someone found their angel attached to a surprise gift. They look around with a huge smile to see who blessed them. Their delighted expressions proved to us it is better to give than to receive. What joy we felt!
Go ahead. Secretly bless someone. It can be as simple or as creative as you like. Pray about it. Adding that twist of faith to your small act of kindness may be the greatest blessing of all.
Other posts you may enjoy:
"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever"
"Besides Love, the Best Gift for Baby's First Christmas"
What a great idea to spread the love of Jesus in sweet tangible ways. Sometimes we think blessing someone will involve great sacrifice, but often, it doesn't take much effort, just a little thought and prayer. Thanks for the ideas on how to "do good to all men' ;-)
ReplyDelete