It’s been a while since I’ve written. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t feel released by God to say anything. Sometimes silence is obedience. But today, the Lord said, “Speak.”
So here I am.
I remember a time when I went out with my daughter to eat. The restaurant wasn’t busy with customers, but it was short on staff. Just one bartender was doing it all; taking orders, bringing food, cleaning tables. You could see the stress all over him.
When he came to our table, we ordered drinks, and I made sure to look him in the eye and say, “Thank you.” My daughter did the same. A few minutes later, when he came back, we thanked him again.
And something happened. His face softened. His shoulders relaxed. A smile started to break through. After the third or fourth “thank you,” he stopped and told us, “I really appreciate you saying that. It’s been so busy today, and hearing those words helps me keep going.”
By the time we finished eating, I wanted to leave him a generous tip. Before I could put the money down, my daughter pulled money out of her own wallet and said, “Dad, let’s add this too.” When he saw the amount, he stopped in his tracks. He looked at me and said thank you, but I pointed to my daughter and smiled, saying. “Thank her.”
The smile that spread across his face was unforgettable.
Here’s what I learned that day: kindness doesn’t cost a thing, but it can change everything.
You don’t know what kind of day someone is having. You don’t know the battles they’re fighting behind the scenes. But one kind word, one smile, one act of generosity can remind them they matter.
Be the one who sees them.
The Bible says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
Jesus is the perfect example. He showed kindness to those who rejected Him. He washed the feet of disciples who would abandon Him. He gave His life for people who mocked Him. He could’ve said, “They don’t deserve it.” Instead, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”(Luke 23:34).
That’s love. That’s kindness. That’s Jesus.
And here’s the truth: you don’t know how far one act of kindness will go. A word. A smile. A helping hand. What feels small to you could be the very thing that carries someone else through the day. The Bible says, ‘Therefore encourage one another and build each other up’(1 Thessalonians 5:11). Every simple act of kindness becomes a way God uses you to lift someone’s spirit.
That’s what Jesus meant when He said, ‘You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden’(Matthew 5:14).
Light doesn’t argue with darkness. It just shines.
So today, I challenge you: slow down. Look around. Speak life. Call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. Thank the ones who serve you. Show love without expecting anything back.
Because in a world full of noise, anger, and division, kindness is prophetic. It points people back to the heart of God.
Small acts won’t change the whole world, but they can change someone’s world today.
Pray with me:
Father God,
Thank You for showing me what real love looks like through Jesus. Help me to see people the way You see them. Give me the heart to be kind, the patience to show grace, and the courage to be a light in a dark world. Use me, Lord, to lift others up and point them back to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
