How do you pick & choose to whom in your life you will be kindhearted? How do you decide which of your family members is worthy of your respect & devotion? What is your method in determining which of your friends will be your "best" friends? How can you so easily turn your back on the ones who have loved you, provided for you, and made the most difficult sacrifices for you?
Most people have the attitude that "If they're nice to me, I'll be nice to them;" this is the world's view. But the Bible says in Luke 6:31 (and it's a direct quote from Jesus) "And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise." In other words, "Treat others as you would like to be treated."
How many of us actually practice this? I believe it's easier to be kind to strangers than to those who are closest to us. Perhaps this is because there is so little at stake. One can bestow kindness upon a stranger - be it food, or money, or assistance - and be gone. Nothing more is required, right? WRONG! What most of us fail to do is follow up. Oh, it's great to say you did something nice for someone, but how did your action(s) change their life? Do you ever follow up to see if their needs are still being met, or if they have other needs? If the person(s) involved is not a believer, did you share the Gospel of Christ with them? Did you invite them to your Sunday School class or to church? Did you pray with/for them? Can you even remember their name(s)?
It's less obvious to see the needs of those who are closer to us, those with whom we interact on a daily or weekly basis. What acts of service do you do for your loved ones? We take for granted that the struggles we see are a normal part of life, and think there is nothing we can do to help. Truth is, if we paid more attention to those in our own household (i.e., our family members) we could find numerous ways to help them. The most obvious thing to do is pray. Intercessory prayer (praying on behalf of others) is a privilege, and should be a part of our daily prayer life. Asking God's strength for the person who is struggling or hurting is asking his blessing on them. Stepping in to help without being asked can be an incredible burden lifter. Think before opening your mouth to ask "favors" or make demands. Take into account what they may be facing that day (things you may not know about). In short, be a little unselfish with your time.
It would be great if everyone performed random acts of kindness ("See a need, fill a need"), but the reality is that while many hear the call to help a brother or sister in need, very few individuals actually heed the call and take action. Make a conscious effort to be kind to someone - whether it be a stranger, and acquaintance, or a loved one - every day for a month. Keep a log so you can remember to pray for each one daily. Then review it at the end of the month to see how you did. You'll be surprised at how much - or how little - gets accomplished!
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