I believe that we are facing a crisis of hope both locally and globally. Eugene has the highest per-capita homelessness rate in the nation. Oregon schools are facing an unprecedented spike in behavior problems. American life expectancy has been declining since 2014. And the kids’ music video “Baby Shark” has been viewed on YouTube more than 4 billion times. (If you haven’t seen it...you’re really not missing anything).
Hope can be hard to come by. I feel overwhelmed when I think about some of the huge problems our world is facing. I’m distressed about the human rights crisis at our southern border, and the horrible living conditions in developing countries that are at the root of it. I am distressed by climate change, and the knowledge that it will only create more refugees.
I am also upset that the church isn’t doing more to address these issues. I am not pointing the finger at CitySalt or any individual church in particular. I am instead pointing the finger at the larger church body of American Christians — and even at myself.
In this Advent season, my heart turns to the story of the Holy Family, young parents who were forced to flee their homeland to escape political persecution. A young family of refugees. I am not attempting to make a political statement, but just this: that all people deserve kindness. Remember that Jesus himself was a refugee, and that He always stood with those who were most marginalized and outcast by society. I hope that when we think of refugees, street people, those experiencing disability, and other marginalized groups, we can remember that those are exactly the people that Jesus liked to spend time with.
Last year, during a church gathering at my house, I could hear my daughter loudly singing from the backyard, “The Revolution starts now in my own backyard, in my own hometown.” It was a song taught to her by her first-grade teacher, a gentle man who plays guitar and sings folk songs to the kids. He told the students that we needed a revolution of love and peace.
There’s a movement afoot in Eugene to become a City of Kindness. Coordinator Doug Carnine was quoted in The Register-Guard saying, “We want to uplift people through kindness.”
In the face of the massive-scale problems our world is facing, is kindness enough? How much difference can it make? Isn’t it just a drop in the bucket?
The mayor of Anaheim, California is a leader of the cities of kindness initiative. More than one million acts of kindness were reported over eight years in Anaheim, and the city has seen a reduction in homelessness, gang membership, bullying and violence in schools, and crime.
I believe that practicing kindness has the potential to make a bigger impact than we might think. Kindness is the practical expression of Jesus’ mandate to “love your neighbor as yourself,” as well as a powerful antidote to the hope crisis we are facing. One act of kindness may be a drop in the bucket, but many acts of kindness by many individuals can add up to something big. A bucket of kindness that overflows. We can embody the spirit of Christ by bringing His light into dark places. We can bring real change, resilience, and hope.
What are some practical ways to show kindness?
Pray for the person you have in mind. If you have a hard time feeling love for that person, pray that God would help you see them through God’s eyes.
Donate gently used items to St. Vincent’s or another favorite charity.
Donate money to your favorite nonprofit, such as Food for Lane County.
Help make burritos with CitySalt for homeless youth on December 10 at The Box.
Invite your neighbor over for dinner.
Write a note of appreciation.
Forgive someone.
What are your ideas for acts of kindness? Share in the comments section below.
About the Author
Ursula and her husband Spencer have two young children, and their family enjoys playing hide-and-seek and dancing in the living room. She works as a communications and events coordinator with the University of Oregon.
You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.