February is known as the month of love. We celebrate Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s with our gal pals. There’s even a day to show love to our pets. Not only that but February is American Heart month. Do you see where I’m going with this? But perhaps you didn’t know there’s another national day in February known as, “Random Acts of Kindness Day”. Which is kind of funny because if there’s a whole day dedicated to doing kind things for others, then is it still considered random? Yeah, that one will keep me up at night. Regardless, the Bible reminds us that love is kind (1 Cor. 13:4). It’s also a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Kindness is something we should be exercising every day.

I remember almost 3 years ago, I was headed to Walmart with my daughter in tow. It had just started raining as we pulled into the parking lot. She was about 3 years old at this point. The rain was getting heavy as I parked the car. I quickly pulled her out along with her backpack, my purse, and an umbrella. I was holding her on my hip, while I carried the backpack on my back, purse across my chest and held the umbrella in my opposite hand, all while trying to get out of the rain. In my failed attempt, I slipped and fell right in front of the sliding doors. As we were crashing to the concrete, I began to feel helpless. I fell to my knees, because I didn’t want to risk dropping her. Once I realized she was okay, and the only damage was a few cuts and bruises on my knees, we both began to cry. I think it was just the initial shock of it all. But I remember looking up as people walked by. Didn’t they see what had happened? Couldn’t they see I needed their help? I started to pick us up from the floor, when an elderly woman came by to ask if we were alright. She helped me to my feet, still holding my precious girl. I graciously tell the woman, “Thank you.” Her kindness was appreciated more than she knows. I had been having a rough morning, and slipping and falling while holding my daughter, in pouring rain, was not on my bingo card. I didn’t even know this woman. She could have just walked by and ignored us like everyone else. But she didn’t do that. She was very sweet and encouraged me that day. If she hadn’t shown up, I’m not sure what the rest of my day would have looked like. Would I have even gone into the store? Or would I have gone home, drenched and feeling defeated? But that’s not my story. She was there to lend a hand when I desperately needed it.

There was another woman, who had been ostracized from her friends. She had no children and was living with a man who was not her husband. But she found the kindness of a stranger, and so much more. We read in John 4:1-14, that Jesus traveled through Samaria and he was very tired from his journey. So, he rested by a nearby well. While he was there, he saw a Samaritan woman, by herself, filling up her water jar. This was peculiar because most townswomen would choose to fill up their water jar in the coolness of morning or in the evening as the sun was setting. But this was in the middle of the day, when it was hot. Jesus asked the woman for a drink. She was startled by this interaction because:

1) Jesus was a Jew, and they were not meant to associate with Samaritans.

2) Jesus was a man, speaking to a woman in public.

However, none of these things mattered to Him, because at that moment he cared about her and her needs. He really didn’t need a drink. He wanted to show her kindness and hope.  

John 4:9-14

⁹ The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.^[a])

¹⁰ Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

¹¹ “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? ¹² Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

¹³ Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

You see, Jesus knew her story. He knew she was weary, broken and dying of thirst. He never questioned whether he should talk to her or not. He just did it.

This is the type of boldness I want. I want to be able to reach out to someone and share the love of Jesus without a care. Everyone needs kindness and everyone needs Jesus.

A few months ago, our church was challenged to share Jesus with someone, a literal Jesus. Have you seen those cute little Jesus figures? They fit easily in your pocket or purse, making it convenient to take him everywhere you go. We gave each person in our church two little Jesuses: one to keep and one to give away. Some of the figurines have “Jesus loves you” written across his sash. While these are adorable, they remind us that someone is always there for us even when we feel alone.

The world has taught us to only be aware of ourselves and our needs, that we should only be concerned with getting from Point A to Point B with no distractions. But I want to encourage you to take a moment and look at your surroundings. Ask the Lord how you can reach out to someone because there’s always a person in need. It can be as simple as making a casserole, gifting them their favorite stuffed animal, throwing a surprise party, or just saying, “hi” to someone new. A little bit of kindness can go a long way.

After Jesus met the woman and told her who he was, it changed her life. She felt so blessed to have been in the presence of the Lord, that she couldn’t contain her excitement. She began to share with others all that the Lord had told her. She found peace and hope that day because of Jesus’ kindness towards her (John 9:15-30).

One of my favorite radio DJs has a saying: “The world is full of nice people. If you can’t find one, be one.” Who’s to say that you can’t be that one? Let’s spread a little more kindness to this wild world we live in.

By: Melinda B.