How Can We Truly Show Love And Kindness to Those We Have Never met?

How Can We Truly Show Love And Kindness to Those We Have Never Met?

Eileen Renders

As a curious person, I have always been seeking answers. As a young adult, I believed giving something I treasured to a family member I loved was an ultimate sacrifice. Although it is kind, it is also much easier to give to someone we love than to a stranger. It is also not much of a sacrifice to give to a stranger, something that is no longer of use to us or that we have outgrown.

If our giving is truly meant to be an act of kindness stimulated through sincere empathy for others who have little, it might be shown by giving of something we still like or enjoy, and given to one who has little through compassion, such as a warm coat.

True giving is done in private; we do not brag about our generosity. We do it because we want to help another human being whom God loves. He is the true inspiration when we behave in a manner that resembles God’s love for all, not for our reward of praise or acknowledgement. Earthly praise for our kind act takes away from the private, intimate reward God will remember when we stand before Him on Judgment Day.

We would be wise to give God all the glory. It is God who has motivated us in our spirit to be kind to others because we have felt His kindness and protection in our own lives. I have found that a long life is a gift because it provides us the opportunity to show God our love through using His gifts to accept our Crosses, and keep our loyalty to Him while working on strengthening and sharing our gift of faith.