Devotionals for the Heart: Why being kind to everyone is powerful

The Power of Kindness
A devotional by Cherie Mendez

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”—1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

Kindness is a timeless virtue. It can brighten someone’s day, mend a fence, even change someone’s outlook on life. God has gifted us to be tender, benevolent, and useful to others.

My mother-in-law has Alzheimer’s disease. She was widowed a few years ago and couldn’t live alone. My husband and I got involved with her caregiving and there were many sacrifices that came with our decision. The biggest lesson I learned in this experience is that the smallest act of kindness can go a very long way.

Sometimes it’s as simple as saying hello, or giving a smile. You never know what someone is going through. We all have something to give—maybe it’s our time, a kind word, or a listening ear.

We live in a world that seems so polarized. As Christians, we need to make an effort to reach out to others as Jesus Christ reached out to us. We need to extend grace to people with whom we may not share anything in common.

Here are three ways we can show kindness:

Way #1: Be merciful. As Christians, we are called to extend grace to those who can be difficult and underserving. Romans 12:20 (NIV) says, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.”

Way #2: Serve the hurting. Matthew 25:40 (NLT) says in the words of Jesus Christ, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!”

Way #3: Forgive freely. Ephesians 4:32 (NLT) says, “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

People are hurting. One small act of kindness can greatly affect others. It’s not the size of the gift that matters, only the gift. Sometimes kindness calls us to step out of our comfort zone and reach out to those who are different from us. God wants us to embrace agape love—to serve, forgive, and uplift others even when they are being difficult.

At one point in my career, I had a boss who was extremely demanding. I was often the one asked to stay late, take on difficult assignments, or handle the work no one else wanted to do. There were moments when I felt overlooked, frustrated, and honestly resentful. What challenged me most wasn’t the workload; it was my attitude. I realized I was keeping score internally: who was appreciated, who got treated more gently, who got away with doing less. And I felt hurt.

But during that season, I began learning what “agape love” really means. Not just kindness when things are easy, but choosing patience, excellence, and grace even when it isn’t reciprocated the way you want. I started seeing my boss less as ‘the difficult person in my life’ and more as a human being carrying pressures I couldn’t fully see.

That didn’t mean becoming a doormat or pretending everything felt good. It meant deciding that bitterness would not define me. I learned to serve with integrity, speak respectfully, and keep my spirit clean even when I was tired or stretched.

Looking back, that experience taught me that agape love is not based on how someone treats you; it’s based on choosing to allow Jesus to make me into the person He wants me to be.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You that your kindness that leads us to repentance. Thank You for teaching us to love others even when we don’t feel like it. Thank You for your grace and your word that guides us in these challenging times. We love You, Lord.

In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Amen.

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Song of Reflection: “Show Me How to Love” by Babbie Mason. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Cherie Mendez is a professional actress and photographer. 

Her passion is to help women understand their true worth and walk in their God-given purpose. After many years working as a Christian in the entertainment industry, she is thankful to be able to share all her learning experiences in her blog posts and on Instagram.

Some of the topics Cherie loves to write about are:

· Coping with rejection

· Finding your purpose and using your talent for God’s glory

· How God always looks at the heart and the meaning of inner beauty

· Understanding that we are all a work in progress and God is not done with us yet

Cherie’s TV credits include “The Equalizer”, “Bull”, and “Blue Bloods” (CBS). She also appeared in the PureFlix film “Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider”.

Cherie and her husband Jimmy live in New York. They are thankful to have been married for 30 years. In their free time, they enjoy traveling, photography, and movie night.

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Connect with Cherie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheriemendez/