A Community Of Kindness - The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness Devotional

A Community of Kindness

Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.

Romans 13:8

My house is tucked into the very back of my neighborhood with just a few other homes, with room to spare between our group of houses and the ones that sit just down the road. Even though there’s not much of a separation from the rest of the neighborhood, our “hood” has evolved into a small community of its own.

I love the way the neighbors wave hello when I go out to get the mail and the sweet gift of their assistance when I need a helping hand. Yet I know that’s not the case in every neighborhood. If you want to cultivate a community of kindness, there are some practical things you can do:

  • Find a way to communicate. For instance, we use a private Facebook group that includes only our neighbors.
  • Help in times of trouble. Send over meals, magazines, or movies when a neighbor is ill or injured.
  • Have a party. Invite your neighbors over to your next New Year’s Eve, Super Bowl, or birthday party.
  • Share an evening together. Host a bonfire or use a projector on someone’s garage door to watch a movie together.
  • Plan a special event. One summer, some of the couples in the neighborhood went on a dinner cruise together.
  • Begin a tradition. You could start a neighborhood Secret Santa gift exchange, and then have brunch together to celebrate the season.

Loving your neighbors fulfills God’s law, yes, but it shouldn’t be considered a hardship. There are many fun, practical ways to reach out to your neighbors and show them God’s love. You’ll find that when you begin to intentionally create a sense of community on a smaller scale, your love for the community beyond your immediate neighborhood will expand too.

—Kristin

Today’s Act of Kindness

Think of one tangible thing you can do to begin creating community among your neighbors. It could be as simple as saying hello to someone while you’re taking out the trash and being open to where the conversation might lead.

From the Book:

The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness Devotional cover image


The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness Devotional
By Julie Fisk & Kendra Roehl & Kristin Demery
Tyndale
$7.99

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