The Gift of Kindness This Christmas

The shepherds didn’t keep the good news to themselves. After encountering the Christ child, they “returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:20). Their joy overflowed into action—they told everyone what had happened. This Christmas, we’re called to do the same, not just with our words, but through tangible expressions of Christ’s love.

Paul reminds us, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). Notice the standard: as God in Christ forgave you. The kindness we offer isn’t merely human courtesy—it’s an echo of the incarnation itself, God entering our mess to bring redemption.

Consider what this looks like in practice. The overwhelmed cashier at the grocery store needs more than a transaction; she needs eye contact, a genuine smile, and patience when the register malfunctions. “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). Your tone matters. Your patience preaches.

That elderly neighbor who needs a helping hand? The single mom juggling grocery bags? The homeless man everyone avoids? Each represents an opportunity to demonstrate that Christianity isn’t theoretical. “If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17).

Here’s your Christmas challenge: Buy coffee for the person behind you in line. Leave an extravagant tip with an encouraging note. Invite someone spending Christmas alone to your table—volunteer at a shelter. Text five people you appreciate and tell them specifically why. Take cookies to your local fire station. Pay for someone’s prescription at the pharmacy. The possibilities are endless.

These aren’t random acts—they’re Kingdom work. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). When our kindness points beyond ourselves to Christ, it becomes evangelism in motion.

Remember: God “did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all” (Romans 8:32). If the Father held nothing back for our redemption, how can we withhold our comfort, resources, or time from those He places in our path?

This Christmas, let’s be people who make Christ visible. Not through grand gestures necessarily, but through consistent, intentional, costly kindness that makes people wonder what’s different about us. When they ask—and they will—you’ll have the privilege of pointing them to the greatest gift ever given.

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14).

As we gather this Sunday, come ready to testify. Bring stories of how you witnessed Christ’s kindness—whether you were the giver or the receiver. Perhaps someone’s unexpected generosity reminded you of God’s provision. Maybe you had the privilege of being Jesus’ hands and feet to someone in need. And perhaps, through an act of kindness, a door opened for you to share the greatest kindness of all: the gospel message. Did you get to tell someone that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)? Did you have the opportunity to explain that salvation isn’t earned but received—“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8)? Our acts of kindness should create curiosity that leads to conversations about the Savior. These testimonies aren’t about celebrating ourselves; they’re about magnifying the One who “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). When we share how God is moving—both through tangible acts and gospel conversations—we encourage one another, build faith, and create a culture where love and truth become our distinguishing marks. Let’s fill our sanctuary with praise for the ways Christ is making Himself known through His people. Your story might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.