Random acts of Kindness

www.r-a-k.org.uk

This is a short blog entry describing something which has been on my heart for a long time now as a Christian, namely what is commonly referred to as "random acts of kindness". It is clear from any quick web search that there are a number of people involved in this, I was quite surprised when I looked and this is great. For a long time now I have felt led to just do something off my own back and get out and show kindness to people who are not expecting it.

I don't want to spend the next 30 odd years of my life just feeling comfortable and content going to Church once a week on a Sunday with little interest or contact with the world out there. I know from my own experience too that unless I am doing something or at least trying to go out and do something different then my own christian life can become stale.

It seems God has put this on my heart and really I don't know where it is going to lead, but together with my small group from Hope Church Ipswich (www.hopechurchipswich.org.uk), we are going to step out and give it go. The initial idea is to go out a give out free umbrellas on a high street one Saturday morning, we are not out to bible-bash or preach to them, if a conversation starts as to "why?" then great. We have a website domain that will be printed on the umbrella's and the idea is that the recipients might take a look at that but also that as they walk around doing their shopping others might see it and go home a look it up themselves. On the website there will be some basic information about who we are and why were doing it and also a few links, one to a John Piper YouTube link to "the gospel in 6 minutes" and we hope to add to the website as we move forward with the project.

Last Christmas I was in a shop and a retired lady about to pay in front of me had forgotten her purse, she was only buying some knitting needle or something for about 3 quid and I just said I'll pay for that. She was really shocked for a couple of seconds but then really grateful, in fact after she had gone the shopkeeper said "go on, I'll pay half.." and looking back on that tiny little event it was also clear that others can also get involved if you do something first. So with this in mind we hope that others will join with us from whatever church background to go out and show kindness to others without hindrance or cost. It's early days but I hope that it can in some very small way bring blessing and glory to God on this earth.