Jon Brown's Thoughts on World Kindness Day

“Love is… kind” – 1 Corinthians 13:4

It’s World Kindness Day: so here’s 5 ways you can make a difference.

1. Send a postcard

In a world of instant digital communication there’s something special about receiving a hand-written card that’s taken time, effort and a trip to a post box. These Where’s Wally postcards are particularly fun.

2. Don’t spam that group message thread

There’s few things more annoying than seeing 87 WhatsApp notifications only to discover that 84 of them are private conversations between two people that definitely could have taken place elsewhere. Be kind to your WhatsApp friends – don’t be that person.

3. Sponsor a child

If you’re privileged enough to have a job and a family then supporting a child who doesn’t is a fun and powerful act of kindness that will have an impact far beyond World Kindness Day. There’s tons of great organisations who do it, such as Compassion and World Vision.

4. Pray for someone

Ask a friend or work colleague if they would like prayer for anything going on in their life. Even people who wouldn’t call themselves Christians are often grateful to be prayed for. Make sure to follow up and ask them at a later date how things are in going with the thing you prayed about.

5. Forgive someone

One of the most amazing ways you can be kind to someone is by giving them a gift they don’t deserve: forgiveness. If someone has hurt you then letting it go and giving that situation to God is a powerful picture of the forgiveness we have received through Jesus’ death. It’s also a way of being kind to yourself as bitterness eats away at your heart and even affects your health.