Acts of Kindness

The Bible says: “And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.” Luke 5:27-31 (KJV)

A story is told of two monks on a pilgrimage who came to the ford of a river. There they saw a girl dressed in all her finery, obviously not knowing what to do since the river was high and she didn’t want to spoil her clothes. Without much discussion, one of the monks took her on his back, carried her across, and put her down on dry ground on the other side.

The monks then continued on their way. But the other monk started complaining, “Surely it isn’t right to touch a woman. It’s against the commandment to have close contact with women. How could you go against your rules as monks?”

The monk who carried the girl walked along silently, but finally he remarked, “I set her down by the river and hour ago. Why are you still carrying her?”

Random acts of kindness may well be used to introduce the Lost to the Great Physician. How are we to witness if we fail common courtesy to those in need? This is not a license to putting oneself in compromising situations, but we may be the only “Jesus” some people will ever see.

Let’s encourage one another to remember the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing and that is to seek to be used by the Holy Spirit to reach the lost and to encourage Believers in their daily walk. 

    Daily Chronological Bible Reading: Judges 1-2