"Kindness Is Everything"

Read Matthew 25: 31-40

"But when I, the Messiah, shall come in my glory, and all the angels with me, then I shall sit upon my throne of glory. And all the nations shall be gathered before me. And I will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and place the sheep at my right hand, and the goats at my left." Mathew 25: 31-33 (TLB)

"For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me water; I was a stranger and you invited me into your homes; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison, and you visited me." Matthew 25: 35-36 (TLB)

Siera Grace Toney lives in the District of Columbia. In recent years, she has noticed a rise in social messaging around kindness. For example, "Be Kind" has been added to email signatures, social media statuses, t-shirts, and face masks. And "Kindness Is Everything" has become a new rallying cry for social justice.

In Matthew 25:35-36, Jesus shows the eternal importance of Christian kindness: feeding the hungry and quenching people's thirst; welcoming the stranger and clothing the naked; caring for the sick and visiting the imprisoned. These kindnesses are more than a "nice" way of being. They are a communal commitment to meeting every human's basic needs. These acts mean everything to many people who are in desperate need. And radical kindness opens the door to blessings, eternal life, and thee kingdom of God. When we act in kindness and care for those who are in need, we care for Jesus.

If we are truly followers of Christ, we must understand that kindness is everything - for those in need and for our own souls. Without this understanding, attempts at a ministry of justice are incomplete. As a follower of Jesus, Siera thinks "Kindness Is Everything" is a mantra all Christians can rally around.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, show us how to live out your truth that kindness is everything in the midst of these challenging times. We pray in Your Holy name. Amen.