In the mid-80s, I attended a Christian college for two years in their work-study program. (Yes, that long ago. I know this ages me – a little.) This gave me a part-time job on campus, with the pay earned going toward my tuition.

During my second year, I landed one of the better shifts in Food Service: filling vending machines in the student commons while it was closed during the dinner hour. To quickly fill the many candy, snack, and soda machines, I had a partner for the evening shift, Tammy. Working beside Tammy made the job more enjoyable, and we became better acquainted as we worked.

It was halfway into the first semester of working together when I spied it. When reaching over to our cart for more products, I spotted Tammy’s shoes. They were coming apart at the seams (literally). She confided that they were her only shoes and hoped they would last the semester. I wasn’t sure this was possible – with the campus layout at that time, we would walk miles each day, easily.

With us both on the work-study program, money was undoubtedly tight for her as it was for me. From working a restaurant job during college breaks, I had a small amount I could budget for the essentials I needed. In fact, purchasing a bag of chips or a candy bar from the vending machines I filled each day was considered too extravagant for my budget. But I had three to four pairs of shoes I could rotate use during the week.

After that conversation, Tammy’s worn, taped-up shoes never left my mind. That evening, I mentioned this need during devotional time with our adjoining dorm suite. I asked if they would consider pitching in a dollar or two each, which would be enough for a pair of shoes. (During the 80s, you could buy a pretty nice pair of shoes from Payless Shoes for about $15.00.) My suitemates, stirred with compassion, wanted to help. With my contribution, I collected more than enough for new shoes.

The following day, I wrapped the gift in a note that simply said: “for a shopping trip.” With the message and envelope written in my best-disguised handwriting, I mailed it through the inter-college mail.

After the next mail call, Tammy couldn’t wait to tell me the surprising news. Not only did she rarely get notes through the inter-college mail, but she gets one with money! I loved seeing her excitement and gladly accepted her invitation to go shopping that Saturday.

This was one of my best memories from college.

And I never told her who was behind the gift.

Many may call this a Random Act of Kindness. Yes, it was a spur-of-the-moment gesture, but kindness is always more intentional than random. Genuine kindness is clothed with compassion for another. Not only did Tammy receive a blessing, but I did too.

What is Kindness?

The world may know kindness as warm-heartedness, generosity, and helpfulness. As Christians, we also recognize kindness as a fruit of the Spirit, as we read in Galatians 5:22-23:

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! (NLT)

Throughout the Bible, fruit often represents the visible evidence of an inward transformation. If you’ve received Jesus Christ as your Savior, your life will begin to reflect what Scripture calls the “fruit of righteousness” (Philippians 1:11). As a believer, you are able to bear this fruit because the Holy Spirit lives within you—teaching, guiding, and shaping your character day by day (John 14:26).

In her book, Creating a Beautiful Life, author Elizabeth George describes kindness as the fruit that plans to do something. Kindness chooses to look for opportunities to do something for others.

What the Bible says about Kindness

Many passages in the Bible explain kindness, its characteristics, and its outcomes.

Kindness blesses us. “It is a sin to belittle one’s neighbor; blessed are those who help the poor.” —Proverbs 14:21 (NLT)

Kindness honors others. “Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other. —Romans 12:10 (NLT)

Kindness is necessary for leading and teaching. ‘When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.” — Proverbs 31:26 (NLT)

Kindness is forgiving. “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. —Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)

Kindness is love. “Love is patient and kind.” — 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NLT)

Kindness honors God. “Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but helping the poor honors Him.” —Proverbs 14:31

Showing Kindness to Others

Jesus, who modeled every fruit of the Spirit, taught us about kindness when He said, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 19:19) When a lawyer challenged Him by asking, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus responded with one of His most well-known parables—the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29–37).

And who, like the State Farm slogan, was “like a good neighbor”? Not the two religious leaders who passed by. It was the third man—a Samaritan, someone from a group despised by the Jews—who stopped. Moved by compassion, he tended to the injured man’s wounds, placed him on his own animal, and paid for his care at a local inn.

Through this parable, Jesus made it clear: kindness is a choice, and it often reaches beyond comfort or familiarity. But just as importantly, true kindness is always partnered with compassion.

After all, if kindness lacks compassion, is it really kindness at all?

When I (with the help of my suitemates) responded to Tammy’s need, it wasn’t just generosity—it was compassion that moved me to act. I made an intentional choice to honor her, to meet her need in love. I was reminded of Paul’s words in Romans:

“Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.” —Romans 12:10 (NLT)

In a world where genuine kindness feels scarce, let us—as women of faith—lead by example. Let our kindness be more than surface-level. Let it reflect the heart of Christ: full of compassion, grounded in love, and intentional in action.

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Journaling Prompt
Think of a recent moment when you had the opportunity to show kindness. Was it rooted in genuine compassion, or was it done out of obligation or habit? How might God be inviting you to honor someone in your life with intentional, compassionate kindness this week? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you notice the needs around you—and to give you the courage to respond with love.

Bible Journaling
Use the verses about kindness above in the posts to reflect and color-code in your journaling Bible as part of your quiet time. Focus on how kindness and compassion are connected.

Want to read more? Here are other stories of kindness in the New Testament:
The Philippian Jailer (Acts 16:33-34) 
The Islanders (Acts 28:2-3) and Publius on Malta (Acts 28:7-10)

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Disclosures:
1) Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
2)As an Amazon Affiliate, links in this post to Amazon will incur a small commission if a purchase is made. There is no obligation to purchase from my link, but it would be appreciated.
3) Scriptures marked NLT are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION (NLT): Scriptures taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION, Copyright©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission

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