Kindergarden Stuff
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After the memorial service, neighbors catered lunch at our daughter’s home. Several neighbors opened their homes to out of town visitors and, to top it all off, the next door neighbors moved out of their home to provide extra room for family members attending the funeral.
Months later neighbors are still taking our grandchildren on outings, checking on our daughter and bringing meals on occasion. Never have I seen a neighborhood with so much warmth and caring. In a day and age when neighbors barely know each other, it is inspiring, especially in a metropolitan area like Chicago.”
The Kingdom of Heaven is like that! The writer never mentioned a church or God or Christianity, but she experienced what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.
One
of our members gave me his plan the other day. He said “I just
got back from a week-long cruise to Mexico. One of my friends on the cruise
had a very hard time finding someone to come in to water and feed his
dogs while he was gone so I came up with my new good neighbor plan.”
He sent out a letter to 24 apartments in his complex with a note that said, “Call me if you need someone to water and feed your cats or dogs, fish or birds while you are gone. I will walk your dogs if needed. Call me if you need indoor or outdoor plants watered while you are gone. Call me if you need a lift to or from the airport, or a lift to the car dealer — whatever. Call me for any other needs you have where a good neighbor can help.”
The Kingdom of Heaven is like that. Ordinary people making themselves
available, making themselves
uncomfortable, going out of their way to be what God wants them to be
in this world. That’s what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.
John Templeton is a very great man in money but he is also very deep into Christian living and philosophy of life. He said, “Life is not made up of great sacrifices or high level duties, but of little things — the smiles, the kindnesses, the commitments, the responsibilities. When you give these habitually and lovingly, they are the blessings that win and preserve the heart and bring comfort to oneself as well as to others.”
I
think every Christian alive wants to do more. Most Christians are frustrated.
They can’t imagine they can do anything big enough. But everyone
of us can do deeds that go on doing good endlessly. It’s incredible.
It’s true.
Here is a life purpose for us. Here is something to live for. We can still do it in a nursing home. All our lives we can have something to do for God to build His kingdom. Everything you do to make this world better pleases God. God celebrates the little good things that you do for others, which is the essence of showing Care and Kindness.
I want to make one more clear, simple statement about care and kindness. We are today living in anxiety, fear, and terrible uncertainty. Again, believe this: every act of encouragement, every word of appreciation, every smile helps as an antidote to all of that bad stuff. Minutes and hours spent weeping with those who weep, listening to the grieving, walking with the least of all people is inspiring, it is life-giving.
We — as followers of Jesus — must brighten the world with deliberate daily thoughtful acts, big and small. We can plot behaviors that intentionally bring light into dark places. Everybody needs help. There is darkness in everybody’s life.
When we lift others, we plant hope in their hearts. We free the pessimistic and cheer the despairing. So believe this! If you participate in our annual Conference on Care and Kindness, you have to believe it. The workshops all make it easier to understand hurting people. We must be at work lifting people. We are agents of the resurrection. Never has this world needed it more. Believe that you are needed. Do not discount yourself. Accept it and live it and together we will help bring God’s Kingdom into this world.
