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Year of Giving

I stumbled upon this earlier this week while browsing around the web with my mouse hand, while my headphone ear diligently listened to a conference call.

Unemployed D.C. man giving money away to strangers to help foster kindness

I was immediately blown away, and inspired at the same time!  This guy had lost his job, yet he is out giving $10 away a day – to complete strangers.  He also has been blogging about his encounters here.   This blog is definitely worth a gander as he retells of his encounters each day. Its confusing.  its a little mind boggling.  He should be saving everything he has correct?  Unfortunately, that’s the way we usually look at things like this.  But really imagine if we all took approaches like this.   I have taught many classes on this concept from Luke:

Luke 6:38 (New International Version)

38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

But this at times is a hard concept to implement.  Yes, Ray its not all about money ( sorry that’s a little inside joke to my friend Ray), its about giving and trusting.  I am impressed with Reed Sandridge.  I am inspired by him and I hope to learn from him.

Today, give.  Give because it helps others.  (and as I blogged about two weeks ago, that’s good and catchy!)  Give knowing that it will come back to you in ways that you will never ever expect.

Categories
Daily Post

Acts of Kindness

   I have a friend named Jon, who I follow on Twitter. Jon is always sharing links. He doesn’t always provide commentary on these links, so I am not sure of why he shares them sometimes, except that he find some interest in them.  Well, I try to find a time each week for follow these and he has directed me to some very interesting sites.  I am not sure how much work he gets done during the day, but it does help me in my own research!

Anyway, yesterday he posted something about a site call  Neat-O-Rama.  I only spent a few minutes checking it out, but I stumbled upon this arcticle:

Acts of kindness spread surprisingly easily: just a few people can make a difference

ScienceDaily (2010-03-10) — For all those dismayed by scenes of looting in disaster-struck zones, whether Haiti or Chile or elsewhere, take heart: good acts — acts of kindness, generosity and cooperation — spread just as easily as bad. And it takes only a handful of individuals to really make a difference. … > read full article

Very interesting.  This arcticle describes a study that shows how contagious acts of kindness can be.  Especially interesting to me is the chart they added.  In the study the following was noted:

When people benefit from kindness they “pay it forward” by helping others who were not originally involved, and this creates a cascade of cooperation that influences dozens more in a social network.

Hm, this sounds awfully familiar to me….

24Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Corinthians 10:24 (New International Version)

16And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16 (New International Version)

The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31 (New International Version)

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:10 (New International Version)

Interesting.  So this Christ fellow, must have know the impacts this can have on people, and  today you now know that these verses have been proven by science to work.

So, let me start:

  • Ray – Happy Birthday Man!  I will buy you lunch when I get back in town.
  • Jon – thanks for sharing these great stories!

How about you? Get out today, show acts of kindness and watch it spread like wild fire.