Serving Others: A Guide to Kindness

By: Gracie Brennan

“‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:35-40).

As children of God, it is very important to help others. Have you ever heard the quote, “Service to others leads to greatness” (Jim Rohn). When we contribute our strengths and put others before ourselves a door is opened to happiness. Even the slightest actions can guide us to greatness. For example, true joy can simply be found by putting a smile on someone's face. It doesn’t matter how grand or little the action is because when we commit acts of kindness to one another, we are also committing them to God. Remember in the passage how the righteous didn’t remember doing all those affectionate deeds for the King? Yet, the King remembered. Even if feeding the king when he desired food wasn’t a huge deal for the righteous, it was a big deal for the King. From this instance, we can all learn that one action of service can establish grand feelings of happiness. 

In this passage, the King goes into great description about the righteous. He describes the various good works they have done, such as visiting him in prison when he felt lonely, or tending to his needs when he was ill. However, after the King lists off all their wondrous deeds, the righteous feel as if something is wrong. They don’t remember visiting the King in prison or taking care of him when he fell ill. All of these good works don’t seem to resonate with the kind of people they are. Yet, after the righteous have listed off their remarks, the King says with sincerity, “‘whatever you did for one the least if these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”(Matthew 25:40). Through Matthew’s passage we learn even the smallest acts of kindness can impact a person immensely. It doesn’t matter if our efforts of service are grand or minimal because in God’s eyes, there is purpose within all of us. 

As the Christmas season continues, I encourage you to serve others. Whether your service includes taking a trip to your local food bank or simply holding the door for a stranger, anything you do can affect someone immensely. Personally, when I’m having a bad day and feeling sad, my friends will offer support and even crack a joke to lighten the mood. Truly, kindness can affect someone a lot. After my friends cheered me up, I felt as if I could do anything. My confidence was equivalent to a skyrocket! It is clear that one action of service can make the world go round, no matter the size. So, what acts of service are you able to provide to your community? Please put yourself out there because even if your actions seem little and worthless, they still apply to God!

Source: Says, The Bible. “Matthew 25:35-40 Meaning | TheBibleSays.com.” Thebiblesays.com, 14 Nov. 2022, thebiblesays.com/en/commentary/mat+25:35.