In the last few years, there have been no shortages of global crises. On the one hand, the illness, conflict, and suffering we see on the news can breed fear and paint a negative view of the world, but there is a brighter side: they can also spark amazing generosity and empathy. God created men and women to, among other things, reflect His love and care for one another, and these generous and empathetic traits tend to shine especially bright in times of challenge and grief.
During the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when the U.K.’s National Health Service asked for volunteers to assist with everyday tasks, such as delivering medication or groceries to neighbors, the response was overwhelming. Nearly 750,000 people responded within four days, resulting in the largest volunteer mobilization since the Second World War.1
While the pandemic may have caused much of the world to look like it was falling apart at the seams, many people took it on themselves to work on sewing it back together again with acts of kindness. The 2022 World Happiness Report showed an increase in volunteering, donating to charity, and helping strangers in 2021.
The Bible tells us that kindness is one of God’s attributes—“God our Savior showed us how good and kind he is. He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things we have done.”2. The Bible also lists kindness as one of the fruits of the Spirit that believers should strive to cultivate in their lives.3
Helping others is good for our own mental health and well-being. It makes us feel part of a wider community and connected with those around us. Not only that, kindness also breeds kindness. When we hear about or see the generosity and kind deeds of others, it inspires us to be kind too. And I think we can all agree that kindness is needed now more than ever.