It seems that everywhere we look these days, there is so much offense & hate all around us. In a world full of so much negativity, I want to set a positive example of love & kindness for my children. As believers, we should be so full of joy that it spreads to others, & one of the best ways to spread joy is through random acts of kindness. This year, I want to be more intentional about sharing joy & spreading the love of Jesus in the world around me, so I made a list of 10 simple ways to show kindness to strangers, & half of them cost nothing but a few moments of your time 🙂 Will you join me this year, in committing to share joy & love with at least one stranger every week?

We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.

-Mother Teresa

1. Give a smile- You never know what kind of day a person is having or the struggles they may be facing. Smiles can be contagious, share yours 🙂
2. Give a compliment- Just like sharing a smile, giving random compliments to strangers can go a long way- think about how good it made you feel last time someone told you they loved your hair or shoes, or that pretty maxi dress- to which you replied with a big grin “Thanks! It has POCKETS!” 😉
3. Let the frazzled mom with the full cart at the grocery store go ahead of you- seriously, if you’re not a busy momma, you have NO idea how much this will make her day, possibly her whole week!
4. Help someone you see struggling with heavy bags- simple acts of helpful kindness can restore a person’s faith that there are still good people in the world.
5. Pray for someone- I once heard someone on the radio say “Praying isn’t the least we can do, it’s the MOST we can do,” & that just kind of stuck with me. Next time you see a stranger crying, or a homeless person panhandling, when you feel that little nudge in your spirit, stop & ask them what you can pray for. Here’s another idea, not random or for a stranger, but a great one- think of someone you know & pray for them intentionally over the next 30 days, & don’t tell them about it. Just pray & watch God work in their lives!
6. Carry a $5 gift card in your pocket & give it to a random stranger. Trust me, the Spirit will show you when & who to give it to, & the thankfulness you are met with will make your day more than you’ve made theirs!
7. Overtip- As a former server, I cannot tell you how much it means when a server receives a tip that is greater than expected. Servers can often feel underappreciated & overworked, & have days, weeks, & months when the money coming in is nowhere close to covering the cost of living. Let me challenge you this year, to make a servers day at least once a month. 😉
8. Pay for the groceries of the person in line behind you. Even if you can’t pay for the whole cart, maybe just leave $50 or whatever you can afford with the cashier & tell them to apply it the bill of the person behind you. I like this idea MUCH better than paying for the coffee behind you at the coffee shop- honestly, they wouldn’t be there for that overpriced coffee if they couldn’t afford it. But often, parents go grocery shopping knowing they can’t afford it but praying & trusting God to provide as they ensure their children are being fed. (I might be speaking from personal experience 😉 )
9. Bring flowers to a local nursing home- Our elderly communities are so often overlooked, & many nursing home residents unfortunately may not have relatives or friends nearby to come & visit them. Take some time to bring flowers in, hand them out, & sit & visit. Share the love of Christ, & take in the wealth of wisdom these souls have to share. ❤
10. Send a meal to your local police department, fire department, EMS crew, or dipatchers. Try to do this more than once- cover day shift & night shift. First Responders work long hours, on little sleep, & are so often underappreciated. They see & hear the worst of the worst & often become jaded. Gestures & acts of kindness like this help to restore their faith in the humanity of the communities they serve. ❤

Don’t overthink this- the smallest acts of kindness can make the greatest difference, you really never know how far the ripple effect of one seemingly small good deed will travel! I always pray over myself & my children:

Thank You, Father, You give us gracious & generous hearts, as we seek & respond to opportunities to serve & be a blessing to others.

-Spreading Joy & Finding the Blessings, Gerri

Cover Photo Cred: @priscilladupreez on Unsplash