Mass Kindness - The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness Devotional

Mass Kindness

He handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, “Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.”

Luke 10:35

Tim hatched the idea and shared it with our leaders at church: What if we picked a day to do anonymous acts of kindness in the community? What if we split up all the grocery stores, gas stations, and coffee shops and had people in the church commit to paying for someone else’s bill in a synchronized version of the “drive-thru difference”?

After a couple months of planning, the day arrived. We each did our own act of kindness that day, and then we watched with delight as the stories came in fast and furious on the local community’s online message board:

I went to get pizza with my boys. The cashier tells me there was a person in the store right before me who gave a $20 gift card to give to the next person. The person also left a note. Made me tear up. Whoever you are, thank you for putting a smile on people’s faces.

Came to study for a test I have tomorrow, and some kind, unknown person paid $5 toward my coffee purchase and left a card that said, “You are loved.” Thank you for being so thoughtful.

I had a similar experience at the grocery store. The man ahead of me in line gave the cashier a gift card for the next person, which was me. What a wonderful gesture and so much appreciated!

We had this happen to us today! We received a note at a local restaurant this morning, and some kind person took care of our bill. There were nine of us. It brought tears to my eyes. So amazing.

People marveled at the kindness of the gestures and the handwritten notes left behind, and they speculated as to why so much was done anonymously on the same day. Sandwiched between stories of crime and complaints about neighbors, the stories of kindness received a disproportionate number of likes and shares. Although we are called to give generously, on this day, we felt just as blessed by the recipients’ responses as we did by participating in the acts of kindness.

—Kristin

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Do the drive-thru difference, either by yourself or with a group of friends, by paying for the person behind you in line at a coffee shop or a store.