The power of Kindness.

Serve others, good deeds a lifestyle value.

The focused power of God’s love expressed through our acts of kindness often opens hearts to the good news. Our good deeds reflect God’s love for an individual and for our community in a tangible way. 

Good deeds, create good will, that opens hearts to the good news. 

Rusaw, Swanson The Externally Focused Church

Jesus went about doing good. His nature was reflected by His action. 

I can never imagine Jesus as someone who was continually angry or grumpy or had a fixed scowl upon His face. Nor can I see Him as being self promoting or self seeking. These attitudes are against the very nature and character of God.
 
I understand Jesus is a generous person who has an infectious sense of humor. It is certainly clear people wanted to be around Jesus. He reflected a life which was characterized by grace, peace, kindness, love, joy and spiritual power. 

He was the most friendly open-hearted person on the planet! His life was attractive. He was known as a friend of sinners.

Believers are also called to reflect God’s nature toward others. We are called to be friendly open-hearted people.

We live this out through our attitudes and our actions, by being generous people who are rich in good deeds. 

Believers are servants who are committed to serve others just as Jesus served. 

John stated,
“Whoever claims to live in him, must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:6, NIV) 

Evangelism is more than developing a certain method,

it's more about developing spiritual sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

Reaching others is about seeking to know what He is doing, and what He wants to do in the life of the person we are talking to. 
 
We had planned an outreach for our Dayton Supernatural School of Ministry students and made some simple bags filled with granola bars, peanuts, peanut butter crackers, Cracker Jacks, breath mints. The bags were a bridge to help us connect with the people we about to encounter.

When the students returned. Most had amazing stories. 

At the end of our time together Pattie and I grabbed a couple of friends and headed to Olive Garden for a late lunch. We took two gift bags to give to the waitress at the end of our meal. 

We arrived and began to talk to the waitress and ordered. During the time I leaned into the Holy Spirit expecting to receive a prophetic encouragement for the waitress. Nothing. No sense of anything to say. I continued to wait, observe and look for a sign or a prompt. Nothing. I remember thinking, "This is a supernatural school outreach. I'm supposed to be able to hear, see, or receive a God prompt for people. I'm leading and I'm receiving nada, zero, nothing."

At the end of our meal we told the waitress we had a gift for her and her team. We gave her our gift bags and thanked her for being such a pleasant, joyful person. When she received the bags suddenly she began to become visibly excited, thanked us, went around the table and hugged each of us and exclaimed, "This is the nicest thing I have ever experienced!" I questioned, "Really this is the nicest thing you have ever experienced?" She exclaimed, "Yes! Here at work. Yes! This is the nicest thing." 

She then turned and quickly to give gifts to all of the people working on her shift. She returned and said, "The prep chef says, "Thank you so much for the granola bar!" 

I was stunned. I pondered what just transpired. I asked Jesus, "What just happened? I was ready to pray for healing, or to receive a word of encouragement and I received nothing. What are you doing?" 

In an instant I heard, "I'm showing you the power of kindness in action." 

We tipped big; thanked the waitress and headed home. 

Lesson learned. There is power in an act of kindness. Small things done with great love can change our world. Tip: Practice kindness in action.