Kindness

What is Kindness?

Kindness is expressing to others the same mercy and grace that God has given to us in Christ Jesus. This can be shown in both  words and actions to those around us without merit.

1. Read Titus 3:4-5 and Romans 2:4. How is God’s kindness displayed to us? What is the intention of God’s kindness?
2. Read Ephesians 2:7. Consider this and talk about it: God’s kindness is so immense and immeasurable that he can be kind forever and never run out of kindness to us!
3. According to Ephesians 4:32, who is someone to whom you need to show the kindness of God this week? Why?

Best Use

A date night to plan a week filled with an onslaught of random acts of kindness (RAOK)

Advance Prep

A Bible, paper and something to write with

Step One

Read Ephesians 4:32.

Step Two

Discuss the following:

• What are the clear directives found in that scripture?
• How can we nurture a home that is filled with kindness?
• What does this verse say is the kindest thing that Christ has done for us?
• How can I show more kindness to you in my words and my actions?

Step Three

Create a list of RAOK you would enjoy doing together this week. Mimic this sample list…

MONDAY

Go to a restaurant and scan for a young family with kids. Secretly pay for dessert to be sent to their table.

WEDNESDAY

Send an email prayer or card to someone you know is struggling or lonely.

SATURDAY

Make a special breakfast for a family or take an elderly relative out for breakfast.

SUNDAY

Bring an anonymous thank you note or treat to a fire station, police station or to a specific public servant.

Pray

Thank God for His amazing kindness toward us. Ask Him to bless your RAOK actions this week and that they will bless others.

Best Use

A family time activity to learn about God’s kindness toward us and the difference our kindness makes to those around us

Advance Prep

Bowl of water, pepper shaker, bar of soap, and sugar

Step One

Take the bowl of water and pour in pepper representing people in our lives. Now take the bar of soap; this represents being unkind. As you stick the bar of soap in the center of the water, talk about ways that we are sometimes unkind to others. (The pepper should move away from the soap; move it around a little bit if doesn’t immediately.) When we are unkind, others don’t want to be around us and we don’t show God’s love to those people.

Step Two

Now take the sugar representing kindness. Pour the sugar where you had placed the soap before. (The pepper should be drawn to the sugar.) What happens to the people (pepper) when you are kind (sugar)?

Step Three

Read Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to each other, sympathetic, forgiving each other as God has forgiven you through Christ.”

Pray

Ask God to help each member of your family to grow in loving kindness toward each other and those God places in your lives.

Optional

Choose random acts of kindness to do for others. Search for ideas online or come up with your own (e.g. bake a treat for a friend, smile at as many people as you can, give someone a compliment, draw a picture for someone, pick up trash at the park, etc.).

Best Use

An activity with older children/teens used to discover and understand kindness from a Biblical perspective

Advance Prep

Bible or device that has a Bible

Step One

Read Ephesians 4:32. Why should we be kind to others? What did we do to deserve God’s kindness?

Step Two

This week we are going to practice the ideas in Ephesians 4:32 through random acts of kindness.

Step Three

Pick three random acts of kindness from the list below and make a plan when you will do them over the next week:

• Open the door for someone.
• Tape change to a vending machine.
• Donate food to your local food pantry.
• Do a chore for someone in your family.
• Leave a kind note for someone to find.
• Give a compliment to a stranger.

Step Four

At the end of the week come back together to discuss the random acts of kindness.

• Were you able to complete three acts of kindness?
• If not, what prevented you from doing so?
• Did anyone do more than three? If so, why?
• How did it make you feel to do something kind for someone else?

Step Five

We did nothing to earn God’s kindness or forgiveness; it was all based on God’s love in Christ. Since we have received the kindness of God in Christ, we can show kindness to others even if we don’t think they deserve it.

Optional

Choose one or two acts of kindness to do together as a family.