Every Day Should Be World Kindness Day

“A good example is far better than a good precept. Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle,” once advised D. L. Moody.

Today is a good time to begin practicing habitual Kindness. It’s World Kindness Day. Since its inception in 1988, the “Be Kind People Project” has been celebrated as a day to infuse the world with acts of kindness.

According to their website, their mission, particularly aimed at young people, is to initiate positive change in people’s lives, build respectful interpersonal relationships, inspire humanity, improve students’ academic results, and foster enduring values.

The premise is simple, yet profound: You make a difference by being kind.

Kindness, of course, ought not to be relegated to a single day of the year, but practiced daily. The Bible challenges Christ-followers to emulate His character of kindness and compassion with this simple exhortation: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32).

In a hurried, hassled, and often harsh world, kindness shines like a beacon on a dark night. It’s an opportunity to fulfill Jesus’ command to be “the salt of the earth,” and “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13-16). As people experience our kind words and deeds, Jesus says that God is glorified.

Kindness is “the fruit of the Spirit” along with joy, love, peace, and patience (Gal. 5:22-23). Kindness is one of the 15 qualities that define true, spiritual love in 1 Corinthians 13, where Paul affirms, “love is kind.” Brotherly Kindness is the one Christian virtue that we add to our faith as we “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:7, 3:20).

In describing people who have “put off” the old person of anger, wrath, and malice, Paul speaks to the character of the person who has “put on” the man. “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering” (Col. 3:13). It’s striking how kindness is central to so many other qualities that Christians are called upon to possess.

In William Barclay’s book Flesh and Spirit, he suggests that the Greek word involves graciousness, sweetness, gentleness, generosity, patience, and affection. In describing God’s acts of kindness toward us through creation, Christ, and the revelation of His Word, Barclay writes, “This Christian kindness is a lovely thing, and its loveliness comes from the fact that Christian kindness means treating others in the way in which God has treated us.”

Jesus, our perfect example, embodied kindness. He touched lepers. Associated with the marginalized of society. Wept with the hurting. Showed compassion to the wayward. And forgive sinners. Jesus’ kindness was rooted in love and issued in action. Augustine described it well: “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others, the feet to hasten to the poor and needy, the eyes to see misery and want, and the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.”

Kindness is not merely an outward manifestation, but is the demonstration of an inward grace. It’s heartfelt. It’s a conscious choice for compassion rather than criticism. Of gentleness when we’re tempted to be judgmental. God’s love compels us to kindness. As Max Lucado reminds us, “You will never look into the eyes of someone God does not love. Always be kind.”

Kindness changes, transforms, and blesses other people. Albert Schweitzer once wrote, “Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.”

Never underestimate the smallest act of kindness. A thank you note. A get-well card. A plate of chocolate-chip cookies. A smile. A held door. A hug. A text message of encouragement or appreciation. Aesop’s timeless wisdom still rings true: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

Of course, there are opportunities for greater expressions of kindness that make a huge difference. This week, I met a lady named Cathy, who had hosted a young couple adopting a child through Sacred Selections. The process took longer than expected. But Cathy, who blessed this couple with her kindness, spoke glowingly of how much she enjoyed getting to know them and making new friends. Turns out the couple is friends of ours from Texas. Small world? No, it’s a big brotherhood.

Ask yourself, on this World Kindness Day, what small (or large) act of kindness can you do to brighten the life of a fellow traveler on life’s highway?

Finally, take to heart the warning from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman