Kindness Accountability

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

Matthew 5:13

Sitting around the living room, we watched as the last of the kids tossed their paper plates in the trash after the impromptu breakfast buffet before heading off to play. Our conversation slowly switched topics from general chitchat about our weeks to the reason for our gathering.

We are a group of Christians striving to live in a way that reflects God—through service, through relationships, through kindness—and we meet on a regular basis to encourage each other, to hold one another accountable, and to work together.

It is during these meetings that we ponder what it means to be Christians who live in the world but are still set apart from it. How do we remain salty, as described in today’s verse in Matthew, while being friendly, accessible, and welcoming to those who think and act differently? How do we navigate the tension between wanting to share the gospel and wanting to form authentic relationships first, allowing us to have a credible, transforming voice in another’s life?

These are the issues that my husband and I, that all our group members, wrestle with. Having a group of committed Christians who desire the same lifestyle—who want to be salt in the world, who strive to be known first by our actions, reflecting Christ before we utter a single word—has helped us stick to this journey.

While we don’t always get it right, having others who pray for and encourage us and who are striving to live the same way has helped us stay the course. We read Scripture and discuss how the Word of God applies to the various circumstances we face. We read books on missional living and the missional message woven throughout the Gospels. And we frequently are found visiting in one another’s kitchens, manning someone’s grill during a barbecue, or helping one another clean house as we prepare for a neighborhood party—lightening the load that comes with entertaining others and inviting them into our homes and lives.

—Julie

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Think of someone you can join with as an accountability partner as you incorporate kindness into your everyday life. Reach out to that person to schedule a regular time to meet.

From the book