How Small Acts of Kindness Make a Big Difference

Hey, carpool crew, whether you're zipping up your backpack, grabbing that smoothie to hop in the car, or just giving high fives to mom and dad before you head off to school. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm so glad you're here. Let's be real for a second. Have you ever been left out? Like you're standing there ready to play and someone says, no, we already have the teams, we're good. Or you're just walking into lunch and you see your friends, but they've already got all the seats taken. And you're thinking, well, where am I gonna sit? Is there room for someone else? Yeah. It doesn't feel great. Now I want you to flip it. Have you ever had someone actually go out of their way to include you? Maybe they saved you a seat, picked you for their team first, or waved you over to hang out with the group. That feels amazing, right? Like an instant mood boost. Well, here's the thing. Jesus gave us a rule for moments like that. It's called, and we've talked about it many times before on the podcast, the Golden, why don't you finish it for me? It's the golden. Rule. Exactly, and it's golden for a reason. Our verse today is from Luke chapter six, verse 31. Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them. In other words, if you want kindness, give it. If you want respect, show it. If you want a friend, be one. It's not complicated, it's just not always easy. See, Jesus shared this during something called the Sermon on the Mount. Crowds were packed in to hear him teach about life and faith and how to treat people, and here's the twist. Back then, just like now, most people thought, if you are good to me, I'll be good to you. And if you're a jerk to me, I'll just be a jerk right back. But Jesus flipped the script. He said, don't wait for someone to be nice to you first. You go first. Be the one who starts kindness. What would Jesus say if he was riding in the backseat with you right now? He'd probably say, remember how good it feels when someone shares with you? Go do that for someone else. You want someone else to stand up for you? Then stand up for others first. Don't wait for the other person to make the first move. Be the first to show kindness. And here's the thing, Jesus wasn't soft. Leading with love is not weakness. It's strength under control. So here's some ways that you can act it out this week. First, think before you act. Before you do something, ask yourself, would I want someone to do this to me? And if it's a no, don't do it. Next, be the includer. Invite someone to sit with you, play with your group of friends, look for the one who is sitting by themselves and invite them over. You never know how much it might mean to them. And last, think ahead. If you want someone to hold the door for you, save a seat for you, help you out when you need it, be the person who does that for someone else first. It doesn't have to be huge. Small acts of kindness create big waves though. People will see it, and they'll wanna do the same thing for you and for others. And remember, no matter where you are, no matter how you're listening, God loves you. Hey parents, if you're listening and you enjoy this podcast, share a link in a Facebook group or a parent group in your neighborhood. Help other people discover carpooling with Jesus too. Before you go answer this question together, what's one way you can treat someone today the way you hope to be treated? I'll see you tomorrow on carpooling with Jesus.