Long before dawn on Easter morning, about 100 believers gathered on the Coconut Island with eager hearts. Many new worshippers of Christ anticipated this day. Easter Sunrise service in Hawaii was an annual celebration with baptisms, a distinctly local breakfast and an Easter service.
Neighboring is not a new concept. Some might call this hospitality, friendliness or welcoming. Neighboring really is not simple, but it is easy. It is an intentional mindset of togetherness, of congeniality, of amicability, of peacefulness and just warmth. It is really touching others physically, emotionally and spiritually.
It is easy to be a Christian on Sunday morning, but the reality of faith must have a practical everyday value that each day real life. Early Christians operated from the margins. Nothing is really different today. If we are truly modeling Christ-likeness, we are really in contrast to the culture. Our saltiness offers a pathway to eternal life with our Father God. The invitation is to live in kindness and community with those who are lost in this maze of one dimensional reality of the earthly world.
This past summer I started taking yoga classes in an area of town that put me in contact with a corner which on most days had homeless women. Consistently, I noticed two young women at this corner. I gave them food and water bottles nearly every time I passed. I remembered the blessing bags that I used to make with my children. It seemed the right response to make some blessing bags for these women.
Whether you would like to improve the relationship with a child, a spouse, a parent, in-laws, a neighbor, a co-worker or a friend… the kindness challenge promises to increase the positives. Kindness is powerful!! It could be your new superpower.