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Five acts of Kindness a day keeps the Traffic Blues Away
Have you ever had a profound moment? Like, whoa, I just had an epiphany. While listening to the radio, John Tesh mentioned that studies show that performing 5 random acts of kindness a day, reduces stress, improves your mood, and can actually increase your life span by 50 years. Ok, I’m only kidding about the 50 years. I heard that and it went directly into my heart. Where can I perform five random acts of kindness I asked myself? Just then, a car in the left lane, (I’m in the center lane) approximately 4 feet in front of me, decides to come into my lane — MY LANE! My epiphany kicked in. I let the driver cut me off, and not so much as an evil thought. Now that my friends is God at work. You can employ 5 random acts of kindness on Atlanta freeways in like 2 or 3 minutes. It been about 3 weeks since I have utilized my epiphany and it really works. Instead of reacting to drivers, I actually look for ways to let people into my lane, move over when they are tailgating me, rather than HIT the brakes (I have to admit that was fun sometimes, just watching their expressions in my rearview mirror).
Jesus asked for a more workers because the harvest is full. When I think of that, I think I am supposed to go door to door, and directly witness to everyone I come in contact. To me, folks that can do that represent the highest Christians. Why, because doing that is so far out of my comfort zone, so to me that is an incredible act of worship. So, I’m just not ready for the big door to door worship, does that mean I should leave the harvest? Not at all, my harvest field is all around me, I just have to look for opportunities rather than react to circumstances. I have to l@@k to perform acts of kindness. As I train myself to look for acts of kindness, I find opportunities all over. What is really great is most of the time the individuals that receive my little random acts have no knowledge something nice just happened to them. So until I can get out my comfort zone and go door to door, I’m just going to do my little acts of kindness to help with the harvest.
I like the idea of random acts of kindness, or rather random acts of Christ-ness.
I have been reading this verse for the last week, trying to “figure” Jesus out. It’s as if he’s standing outside the city, maybe on a hill or an elevated point. He looks out and sees a large crowd of people looking to him. Then maybe he has this total google earth moment, and kinda leaves his body and goes global on viewing his children. Then he slams back into his body and turns to his disciples, and as compassion and love oozes out of him, all he sees are 12 men. So he asks them to ask him to send workers to the harvest.
The next chapter we see the disciples being prep’d to go out into the field. Did they drop to their knees in chapter 9 and ask Jesus to send them? Did they ask God to send someone?
I don’t know, but I do know that we are to pray for helpers, and keep helping ourselves. Random acts of Christness, fused with prayer for help. If the harvest was ripe when Jesus was on this earth, then the fields are overgrown, and the trees are bending at their boughs…and the time is now.
I loved it when you said, “Look for opportunities rather than react to circumstances”. I am one of those who seems to react to circumstances all the time and I know I miss opportunities because I am always saying to God I should have done this or I should have done that. I know the harvest is plentiful but like you evangelism is not my gift. I can share one on one but I have a problem going door to door. Maybe if I start looking for opportunities the Holy Spirit will help me share Christ with others.
When it comes to reacting to circumstances, I’m guilty as charged. My fleshly reaction is always just that, a reaction. Only when I’m letting Jesus run my life can I actually look for opportunities.
I also am no good at the door-to-door evangelism, but I think Jesus would be great at that, if he wanted to operate that way. Many times, we read about people coming to Jesus. The Bible is full of stories where people sought after Him. The Father brought people to Jesus. So, in that way, maybe I should just let God draw others to me…then I can share Christ with them. Maybe after committing an act of Christness, somebody may just ask why I would do such a thing…aha, open door to talk about my life with Jesus.
After yesterday’s message regarding Romans 12, I’m also reminded of the last verse in Romans 12 where Paul says we should overcome evil with good. Seems to me like 5 random acts of Christness may be a good start to overcoming the enemy.
Father, I pray that You would use our eyes to see opportunities rather than letting us react to circumstances. I also pray that we will all let your Spirit and Son live through us today. That You can love your children through us. That You can use 5 random acts to change the world. We thank you that You used 1 deliberate act to save us all.
In Jesus name,
Amen
(Alan, that closing is for you…wanna make sure this prayer “counts”)
It is hard for me to think like Jesus thought. The Holy Spirit in me is the only way.
I’m not boasting; far from it. I sometimes drive to work with the radio off, thinking about some Scripture, feeling pretty good about my Christianity, and at being oh so godly that He and I are having such a great conversation. It’s my monologue really. Then some jerk ( I am a jerk too) cuts me off. Satan snatches my meditations and yanks them back to the ground in the flood of anger I direct toward that person. At that moment I catch myself, and marvel at my own un-Christ-ness, and feel ashamed. I feel Jesus saying to me “Maybe you need to rethink our relationship.”
So much more considering the “harvest” of people right in front of me. I roll along mindless and uncaring, wrapped up in my own world, my own personal thoughts, with my own personal cares, while people are dying right and left without a hope. To turn left or right, or to slow down to reach out a hand to help them would “cut me off” from my own selfish desires. I ought to feel ashamed at my un-Christ-ness, and that I cannot see the person. I ought to feel shame at my selfishness with God’s mercy. I need to rethink our relationship. God help me.
It is so fascinating that Jesus involves us in his plans and allows us to participate for our benefit. So many times I get caught up in what I should be DOING for him and how I fall short, when it is really all about BEING with him in whatever task he calls us to.
This verse reminds me of some times with my kids when I see them struggling and struggling with something and I am standing over their shoulder just waiting for them to ask me for help. I want to help them, but they need to acknowledge their own shortcomings and simply ask.
Door-to-door witnessing…. brrrrr. I just had a chilly flashback. Sorry Ed. It’s my Jones. Not yours.
As one who did the door-to-door thing for a number of years, I always felt like I was asking people to marry Jesus on the first date. Here I was, a complete stranger standing on their doorstep talking about the most important matter in the universe without ever having established a credible relationship. But I reasoned that their blood was no longer on my hands. It all seemed so self-serving, so forced. Is this a matter of not having the gift of evangelism? Is that why I always felt like I was jamming a square peg in a round hole? To Chris’s point, I know there are some who do it really well.
Lately, I find that God opens the door with people I already know. The people right under my nose. My work associates, my live-in father, my neighbors. When I look out into the harvest all I can think to do is pray for laborers, because I can see no other way they will be reached but by God calling out more laborers. If it hinges on Jon Franz going door-to-door I’ve been a miserable failure.
Ed, keep up the acts of Christ-ness. It’s the highest Christianity there is. Thanks.
Does it still count if you do an act of kindness with a bad attitude? The outside looks the same but the heart is wrong. Is an act of kindness Christlike if the person doesnt know Christ? Acts of random kindness are very new age. Be careful.
Was Christ random or purposeful? I am not against kindness but I will take a stand against randomness, We need to be purposeful in our living.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. – Matthew 9:37-38
I will ask the Lord for opportunities to be Christ to those I come in contact with this week.
It’s amazing how God can use the smallest of acts for the greatest of impacts. Mowing my neighbors grass, exactly because I love Jesus and seek ways to authentically show that love, can be huge when placed in the Hands of the Lord of the harvest. God is able to use Billy Graham-like rallies, and my kindness to a Publix cashier.
Have I waited for the BIG opportunities to the neglect of small acts that God can use as well? God help me to look for all kinds of opportunities instead of flippantly reacting to my roller coaster circumstances.
Thanks Ed. You have such a great, servant’s heart.
I have always felt that ARKs (Acts of Random Kindness)where an unbelievable way to grow not only as a Christian, but just a good person.
Once I learned at work this drill they called the “10 penny rule”. I was a muli-unit manager at a well known resturant chain here in Atlanta. This exercise started out each day with me putting 10 pennies in my right pocket. As I entered one of my 9 stores that day, I must find 10 positive things to say in the store before I left. I would transfer a penny to my left pocket when a compliment was given. I found that this could be used in my daily life as well, when I was at home and out in the world. Sometimes I would find myself giving too much discipline at home and I didn’t even reaize it. A pocket full of pennies would remind me that my kids are just that, kids.
As for walking door to door, I always feel nervous about not having the answers when asked. Nothing bothers me more then trying to witness to a friend or co-worker and not having the answers. Just taking part in this today makes me realize I should research the answers and follow up with them more often.
Great stuff Ed.
Ed – can you teach Swing Dancing? Marchant & I need some refreshing & HELP!!
P.S. awesome word. Thank you for sharing God with us.