Up Close And Personal - The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness Devotional
Up Close and Personal
Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
Matthew 7:12
That New Year’s Day, when my family was faced with the decision of temporarily hosting a homeless woman and her son, I felt torn. After all, two of my friends and our families had spent the month leading up to Christmas performing acts of kindness each day: cooking a meal for a pregnant mom on bed rest, leaving treats for our mail carrier, filling a gas tank for a military serviceperson. We had documented them on social media and invited others to join with us. One night, recalling the amazing things we’d experienced during our month of kindness, I had thrown out the challenge at dinner: What would happen if we committed to doing one kind act each day for a whole year?
Now, on the first day of our commitment, I was already being challenged to rethink what a year of kindness would mean for our family. A month of kindness required forethought but didn’t demand too much else. It’s one thing to spend an afternoon making baked ziti for someone, casually dropping it off while running errands. But to let someone see me in ratty pajamas before I’ve had a chance to brush my teeth? To let someone see me in the mess of my regular life—nagging my kids for sticking out their tongues, aiming dirty looks at my husband for checking sports scores instead of clearing dinner, failing to clean up crumbs lingering in cobwebbed corners—felt like a much greater challenge.
Yet in that moment, I was reminded of the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.” If I truly believe that an essential part of my faith is living this truth out daily, surely I’m also called to do more than live a comfortable, easy life. Allowing someone to see my imperfections is a small price to pay in the face of another’s need.
That afternoon, as I nervously opened my door to two strangers, I knew saying yes to trusting God in this situation was the right thing to do.
— Today’s Act of Kindness —
How can you stretch beyond your comfort zone to reach those in need? Think of one small step you can take today to go beyond yourself, then do it.

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