Every family was handed an envelope. Enclosed was a five-dollar bill and instructions:

Take this $5 combined with whatever gifts or talents God has given you and use it for one act or several random acts of kindness toward someone you would not normally help or even know. Give a gift. Bake a cake. Buy several cards and mail them. Put gas in your car and drive someone to a doctor’s appointment. In four weeks, we will share stories of how we have helped others in the name of Christ. Let’s practice what we preach by simply performing a random act of kindness to another.

What would you do for the five-dollar challenge?

The Bible certainly supports acts of kindness. Here are some examples:

• There was a believer … she was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. (Acts 9:36)
• (The voice of God … angry!) “There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land. (Hosea 4:1)
• (Jesus) “If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?” (Matthew 5:48)

In other words, acts of kindness tell the world what kind of people we can be. Would you like another example? Think of two people who deeply influenced your life in a positive way. Why do you remember them? Was it something they said? Probably not! More than likely it was their attitude of kindness and generosity toward you.

When I was a student returning to college, my car overheated near a small town on the way. It was Sunday and everything was closed. I was stranded, hungry, and broke. I had no choice but to knock on a nearby door and ask for help. An elderly couple answered the knock, graciously invited me inside for dinner, and then called a neighbor to fix the car. This simple act of kindness and generosity by two strangers had a lasting impact on me. Can we do no less?

Four weeks after receiving the five-dollar challenge we met again to hear the results:

• A schoolteacher bought special paper and ribbon and then used her computer to make beautiful Bible verse bookmarks to give to every resident of a local nursing home.
• One woman made homemade loaves of bread and distributed them to neighbors.
• A visitor from another state went home and filled a box with paper towels, trash bags, tea, and coffee and gave it to a friend preparing to move to a new house.
• Another created beautiful floral wreaths and distributed them in a nursing home.
• Someone bought a book and mailed it to a sick friend.

Everyone had a story to tell as we celebrated and learned a valuable lesson. In addition to helping others, we felt better about ourselves. God blessed us with a challenge that will not soon be forgotten — All for $5.

What about you? What could you do with $5? How could you help a friend, a co-worker, a stranger? Challenge yourself, your family, or your co-workers. Think of the possibilities!

Or … copy this message and enclose $5 with each copy and then give them away to friends, co-workers, even strangers.

Will you accept the challenge? If you do, please let me know. Email me at LarryDavies@SowingSeedsofFaith.com.

Now if every one of you accepts this challenge — Wow! That’s a lot of kindness.

About Larry Davies

Larry Davies is currently the Lynchburg, Virginia District Superintendent for 89 United Methodist Churches. He has been the pastor of small, medium, and large churches. For many years, Larry managed and trained sales people in the automobile business. He is also the author of Live the Light: Five Weeks to a Light that Shines and three other books. Larry is the founder of Sowing Seeds of Faith, a worldwide prayer ministry and writing ministry, www.SowingSeedsofFaith.com. His columns and blog posts appear in several newspapers, magazines, and websites. Larry is a graduate of Virginia Tech and received his Master of Divinity at Duke University. Mell, Larry’s wife, recently retired from Concord Elementary School. Larry’s oldest son Stephen is married to Brandy, and they have a one-year-old bundle of energy, Jackson. Larry’s daughter Lisa is engaged to be married to Bobby. He and Mell also have a lively but older Springer Spaniel named Daisy.