RECURRING ACTS OF KINDNESS

            Much has been said over the years about random acts of kindness.  It may well be that the randomness of these acts of kindness adds significantly to their esteemed value:  the spontaneous nature in which they occur contributes to fueling a favorable impression.  The word random connotes something unplanned, arbitrary or somewhat irregular.  In a technical sense, random implies a “chance" happening.  Hopefully all of us at some point in time have been recipients of a random act of kindness.  Seldom does a summer pass that Jeannie and I do not recollect Milan Gonda depositing a bag of peaches on our doorstep.  It was an unexpected and delightful surprise.  Perhaps it is a coincidence, but to this day my wife and I both would argue that those were the most delicious peaches we’ve ever eaten.  Indeed, maybe they were, but it also might be that the sweetness of the gift was exponentially enhanced by it being a random act of kindness.        

            While I do not want to put down in any way such random acts of kindness, random also communicates the idea of relative frequency, with the emphasis on relative.  In other words, random acts don’t happen with great consistency.   I’m wondering, “Why does it have to be this way?”  Why can’t we turn random acts of kindness into systematic acts of kindness.  Or, to say it another way, why do acts of kindness have to be so haphazard?  Why can't they be more regular?  Why can’t they be “the norm” rather that just an occasional anomaly? 

            In his epistle to the church at Ephesus, Paul makes it clear that “good works" or acts of kindness are part and parcel of the methodology of Christianity:  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Eph.2:10).  Again, without meaning to throw cold water on the element of spontaneity, shouldn't we Christians spend a little more time premeditating the doing of kind deeds?  I’m not proposing that we mandate that our daily list of things to do include checklist of good deeds and acts of kindness that need to be accomplished.  There could be a coldness and performance-oriented facet to this approach that hints of legalism, which in turn could undermine the sweet aroma of the very act of kindness we intend to pass along.     

            Ideally, kindness ought to become second nature to those of who follow in the steps of Jesus. Like experienced drivers heading out to their vehicle, we don’t have to rehearse how to engage the ignition switch or turn the steering wheel, it just comes “automatic”.  We've done it enough that we don't have to think about it - - it just flows naturally.  When we speak of recurring acts of kindness we're not talking about something "staged", it's just who we are.  The way to get from where we are to where we want to be is to DO THE RIGHT THING (ACTS OF KINDESS) DAILY.  If we plan each day to be kind, that virtue will soon become engrained in our spiritual DNA as we go about with hearts full of kindness. 

                                                                                     Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ