The Fun of Doing Good to Others

I am thrilled to do good to people. Sometimes I get giddy being kind to others. It's fun to see
people receive a blessing, especially when they never expected it. Each day I make every ef-
fort to be kind to others and to do good to them. When I seek to do so throughout my day, I
never know when a situation might be ripe for being kind and doing good. Acts of kindness
and goodness, it seems, are never planned. I have found that to be kind and do good I have to
be sensitive to people whom I encounter and sensitive to God at work in our lives and in the
world. For followers of Jesus such as myself, showing kindness to others and doing good to
them become divine appointments with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There have been
times when I have been given great joy by doing good to others who never expected it.

By being around homeless women and men a lot, I have had many opportunities to do good
and to be kind to other people. Many of them are kindness-starved. I seek every occasion to
practice good and kindness among them. Because they rarely experience either, they let me
know how much they appreciate my practicing these qualities among them. Several times I
have sensed that several men and women who live on the street were touched when I did
something nice for them. But it is also fun for me. We who are believers in Jesus Christ have
been blessed in Him and have been called to bless others as a result. The sons and daughters
of Abraham have been blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 12:1-2). 'For we are God's work-
manship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God created beforehand that we
should walk in them' (Ephesians 2:10). This is why doing good to others and being kind to
them brings joy to those people who name the Name of Jesus Christ.

A dear friend from the church I grew up in blessed me with an old classic 1985 Ford station
wagon while I am here in the USA. I have had the fun of using it to bless others, especially
the homeless. Not too long ago I gave a ride to a guy who was homeless, but now has his
own place and is involved in a ministry to the homeless. It was raining and this guy had trou-
ble walking. A homeless friend of his came with us. After chatting with him I offered to drop
him off at the other guy's place to get speakers he was storing there to take to a homeless cou-
ple who had just moved into an apartment. So I did that. We picked up the speakers and drove
to a laundromat where the couple was washing their clothes. When we got there, I offered to
drive the husband, the friend, and the speakers over to the couple's place, and then to drive
them back to the laundromat. It would have meant a lot of walking in the rain for both guys,
and all the while lugging the big speakers with them. Both of them were giddy with happiness
that this was happening to them. It was especially fun for me.

This past year I have learned at least two things. First, believers in Jesus Christ have been
blessed to be a blessing to others. Second, God created us in Christ Jesus for the purpose
of doing good works. The good works do not save us. They are the fruit of a grateful heart
redeemed by the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
May we all know the joy of being kind to people and doing good to others because of the
kindness of the LORD God and the good work of His Son Jesus Christ on our behalf.

Blessings to you and yours,