Do For One - The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness Devotional

Do for One

I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!

Matthew 25:40

In the background, carols crooned about white Christmases and holy nights. Earlier in the day, I’d marveled over the sun dog shimmering in rainbow arcs around the sun. It was December, and life seemed beautiful and magical once again.

Evening settled in, and I felt cozy and warm even as I cleaned up dinner, while art supplies left over from the day’s projects slid haphazardly across the counter and the baby squawked for more supper, thumping her arms on her high chair. My husband and older two children had just left the house to go bell ringing for the Salvation Army, so with a moment to myself, I paused to look at the news.

A headline caught my eye, and I found myself reading about war and bombings, the lives of innocent women and children lost. Suddenly my cheery kitchen, the Christmas music, the comfort—it all seemed like a mockery in the face of such tragedy. How insignificant our acts of kindness are, I thought helplessly, hopelessly. How can it be that I have so much and others have so little, simply because of where we were born? I felt burdened by the weight of that unbearable truth.

I was reminded of what Andy Stanley has said: “Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.” And I was reminded of how two thousand years ago, shepherds on a hill came to worship a baby. And later, how wise men brought gifts to a child. These were small kindnesses in the moment. Yet they would eventually have a profound impact on the Christmas story and how we respond to it. We never know the ripples our small acts of kindness will have on the currents of history.

—Kristin

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by your inability to fix everything that’s wrong in the world, thank God for the people and situations you do have the ability to help. Then make a move toward doing for one what you wish you could do for all.