If you are Christian, I want you to stop doing random acts of kindness.
Chew on that a minute. Stop doing random acts of kindness.
I recall that statement entering my cultural world when I was in high school, probably around 1998-1999. There were stickers and signs in many of my favorite teachers rooms that proudly displayed the trendy saying. It was kinda cool. It was simple. It was concrete. It was actionable. It seemed like the perfect way to help society move toward a more loving and compassionate culture.
Then I began to read the Bible more closely than I had read it before and began to see that as a follower of Christ, I do not believe Christians should commit random acts of kindness because Jesus never did.
Jesus lived his life with great purpose and direction. Jesus' actions may look random to those who are unclear with his vision and purpose (see the disciple's response to his questions and statements), but when we embody the vision and purpose of Jesus, it is clear that Jesus was not a 'random act of kindness' sort of guy.
Every healing, feeding, teaching and question was rooted in helping to usher in the Kingdom of God - to make it known and seen. He did things to glorify God or to reveal himself to others. He did things so we could see or understand. He lived his life with a clear intention and purpose - even to his death.
As disciples of the one we call Jesus Christ, Christians are taking on the vision and purpose of Christ. With that purpose and vision already laid out for us we can focus more on how to live our lives with great intention.
When we participate in random acts of kindness, others look at our actions and may think, "oh, that was a nice person." And that is all well and good, but anyone can be nice. Christians are called to be something other than nice, we are called to be holy. Holiness is rooted in intention and purpose.
Let me be clear, please continue to do acts of kindness, but do not do them 'randomly'. Do them in such a way that revels and articulates God's purpose, mission and vision. Tell people why you are acting the way you act (evangelism). As Christians, it is clear that we are kind and love because God first loved us. We are grace filled because God is Grace filled. We do what we do to move toward holiness and help usher in the Kingdom of God.
We are not random. We are intentional.
Chew on that a minute. Stop doing random acts of kindness.
I recall that statement entering my cultural world when I was in high school, probably around 1998-1999. There were stickers and signs in many of my favorite teachers rooms that proudly displayed the trendy saying. It was kinda cool. It was simple. It was concrete. It was actionable. It seemed like the perfect way to help society move toward a more loving and compassionate culture.
Jesus lived his life with great purpose and direction. Jesus' actions may look random to those who are unclear with his vision and purpose (see the disciple's response to his questions and statements), but when we embody the vision and purpose of Jesus, it is clear that Jesus was not a 'random act of kindness' sort of guy.
Every healing, feeding, teaching and question was rooted in helping to usher in the Kingdom of God - to make it known and seen. He did things to glorify God or to reveal himself to others. He did things so we could see or understand. He lived his life with a clear intention and purpose - even to his death.
As disciples of the one we call Jesus Christ, Christians are taking on the vision and purpose of Christ. With that purpose and vision already laid out for us we can focus more on how to live our lives with great intention.
When we participate in random acts of kindness, others look at our actions and may think, "oh, that was a nice person." And that is all well and good, but anyone can be nice. Christians are called to be something other than nice, we are called to be holy. Holiness is rooted in intention and purpose.
Let me be clear, please continue to do acts of kindness, but do not do them 'randomly'. Do them in such a way that revels and articulates God's purpose, mission and vision. Tell people why you are acting the way you act (evangelism). As Christians, it is clear that we are kind and love because God first loved us. We are grace filled because God is Grace filled. We do what we do to move toward holiness and help usher in the Kingdom of God.
We are not random. We are intentional.