The Sunday Sermonette – Shiny New Boots.
On a beach walk last week, I spotted a pair of rubber boots, their newness glistening in the afternoon sunshine. Peering inside them, I discovered some toothpaste, hand sanitizer, soap, and a spray can of deodorant. There was also a five-dollar bill tucked into the mix.
Often on my walks, I see homeless people shuffling across the footbridge at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, their squeaky carts filled with their pitiful worldly goods. The boots—a stranger’s simple act of kindness—touched my heart. The cynics who read this may say, “What a waste of money! No tellin’ what some bum on the street will do with that stuff. Probably sell it for drugs or worse.”
But I disagree, because touching, life-changing examples of kindness echo down the oak-paneled hallways of history.
At significant risk to herself and her family, Miep Gies helped feed Anne Frank and her family. She also saved Anne’s famous diary. Mother Teresa, known for her dedication to helping the needy, inspired others to engage in global acts of kindness and charity. Remember Luz Long’s kindness shown to Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics? Hitler was not pleased.
During WWII, Desmond Doss joined the Army but didn’t want to shoot anyone. He caught hell during boot camp, was ridiculed, and called a traitor for being a conscientious objector, but his kind heart never wavered. Still, as an unarmed combat medic during the horrific Battle of Okinawa, he heroically saved the lives of over 75 wounded soldiers, despite being wounded 4 times.
The Good Book, too, sings the praises of those whose acts of kindness are legendary.
Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery by his older, jealous brothers. Years later, they came before Pharaoh, begging for food due to a famine back home. As Pharaoh’s right-hand man, Joseph could have had them killed. But he looked upon them with kindness, willing to forgive those who had wronged him.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is a teachable moment that challenges us to consider who our neighbors really are—those who are often marginalized or overlooked by today’s society. The story’s compelling because it richly illustrates that genuine kindness knows no ethnic or cultural divides.
Some of the Bible’s most memorable acts of kindness are associated with the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. His kind acts serve as powerful reminders of compassion’s power to transform those to whom you show kindness.
When Jesus healed the sick, it was a kind act that acknowledged the individual’s suffering. It indicated His empathy with their suffering. His feeding the 5000 with a few fish and some bread was an astonishing miracle that reminds us to show kindness by helping those who have nothing.
Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well illustrates that kindness can scale the entrenched brick walls of society. Because of her lifestyle and her ethnicity, the woman was shunned and despised by the people she lived around, yet Jesus chose to talk to her. He acknowledged her existence and lovingly revealed scandalous truths about her life. In so doing, He changed her life. Please remember that kindness can shatter the stonewalls we create by our prejudices and fears.
However, Jesus’ most significant act of kindness was His death on a cruel cross and His glorious resurrection. By it, we are saved.
In a world often overshadowed by quarrels and division, please remember these lessons on kindness that inspire hope and encourage us to act with decency every day. They should motivate us to see that each small gesture of kindness, like a stone cast into a calm pond, can ripple outward, creating waves of goodwill. Kindness is a natural part of the human heart—far more natural, I believe, than unkindness.
As you go through the week, please remember those shiny new boots that called out to me. And in so doing, do something kind for someone you know or, even better, a total stranger.
Ponder this and go forth.