Experiencing and Living Out the Kindness of Jesus
By Amanda DeWitt
“The kindness you have shown me today I have not known for years. It is as if God Himself has visited me.”
Helena, a 96-year-old woman from Rwanda, shared these words with our team members. She survived the genocide in the 90s by living as a refugee in several countries before returning to her home country years later. When the gifts of Unto™ meals and clothing were delivered to her by our team, she was overwhelmed.
“It is as if God Himself has visited me.”
Her response reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas — and what it means to experience God’s presence with us and kindness toward us.
Hope for the Nations
Matthew 1:23 announces the birth of Jesus saying, “‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).”
The God of the universe, the One who created us, came down to us. He tasted thirst and felt hunger. He shivered in the cold and laid His head on the bare ground to sleep. He wept with friends overwhelmed by grief and watched as everyone walked away from Him in His darkest hour.
His ministry was unexpected — modeled after a humble servant instead of a stately king. Matthew summarized His mission saying:
“This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
‘Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope’” (Matthew 12:17 – 21, emphasis added).
No pomp or proclamations. Jesus spent His ministry among the sick, outcast, and isolated. He came to bring hope to those who had none.
And as His followers, we can share His eternal hope with those around us and around the world.
Help From Our Hands
So many people, like Helena, feel like a bruised reed or smoldering wick. They suffer under injustice.
But you help relieve their suffering and offer them an opportunity to learn about eternal hope.
Last year faithful partners like you helped us serve more people than ever before.
- Over 7.5 million people were served through distribution of $14.4 million worth of humanitarian aid.
- Hungry people received 5.5 million nutritious meals.
- More than 54,500 people were served by 109 well projects in 18 countries.
Each of the individuals not only received help for their urgent needs, they also had the opportunity to learn about the eternal hope of Jesus.
Hope for Us
As you look toward Christmas, maybe you too long for hope. You have known injustice. You have felt bruised, barely existing.
Remember that even in our brokenness, Jesus is with us. He feels your sorrow. He knows your anxieties. He wants you to experience His hope.
As you consider the hope of Jesus, also think about how you can share it with others. Maybe it’s dropping by a neighbor’s home for a short visit, letting her know she’s not forgotten. Maybe it’s serving someone in your community who needs a helping hand. Or maybe it’s being generous to someone, like Helena, in need of help and hope this Christmas.
How does “God with us” apply to your life this Christmas? How can you share His hope with someone today?
Published December 19, 2018
Amanda is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Gift for Leadership, Kindred Spirit, and Christianity Today publications. She holds a M.A. in Media and Communication from Dallas Theological Seminary.
