Christmas is coming up, and the tree is starting to fill up with presents. While all of us are cuddled up with our loved ones by the fireplace, other people are freezing to death on the street during their tenth Christmas alone. This isn't to say that it is bad for us to enjoy this holiday season, this is just to say that we have to open our mind and our hearts to the people around us. Whether or not everybody gets presents this Christmas, everyone should be given kindness, love, and compassion.
1. Donate Food
Food banks all over the nation are always looking for donations, especially during the holiday season. This may look like you bringing canned goods to the food bank, or even just offering a simple donation that will so specifically to food boxes, or nutritional programs. By doing this, you could be giving an entire family food for days. This a simple and non-time-consuming way to give, so even those of you that are on the go can give back.
2. Give Away Old Clothes
All of us have quite a bit of clothing that we don't wear or that maybe don't even fit us at all. It just sits in our closet and goes useless all year round. Instead of going through those clothes and donating them, keep them accessible to you in your car. When you are driving and you see a person on the street that is freezing, it is so easy to pull over and offer them warm clothes to wear. This is so simple. It costs you nothing, and it takes barely any time.
3. Frequent the Dollar Menu
Tons of restaurants have dollar menus. The caloric value to the price is unbelievable. I once talked to a very sweet man that was homeless. He told me that every day is either a winning and losing battle. Somedays you eat, some days you don't. When you see the people on the street corners asking for help, instead of avoiding eye contact and pretending that they don't exist, think about whether or not that person is winning their battle that day. Pull over to a McDonalds that is a block up the road and spare three dollars for them to eat that day. If you don't think that you could do that, then keep granola bars and a case of water in your car.
4. Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen
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Out of all of these ways to show kindness to others, this is the most time consuming, but also the most personal. When you volunteer at a soup kitchen, it gives you the opportunity to talk to people that have been living on the streets. You get to learn their names and their stories. You are able to understand how every person living on this earth is just a human that needs love and relationship like everybody else. This may take more of your time then all of the others, but this is one of the most tangible opportunities to show other people love and kindness.
5. Give Away Bibles
I once met these two sweet girls behind an abandoned food place. They were sitting on the asphalt with just a few personal items each. One was 19 and the other was about 30. I asked them if I could get them anything what would they want, they said that all they wanted was warm clothes, blankets, and a Bible. These sweet ladies only wanted to be warm and read the Bible. So many of us have multiple Bibles just laying around the house that aren't being read, and if you don't, they are about $2 at Goodwill. Keep those Bibles in your car and give them out to people on street corners or those who are sleeping on the sidewalk. Give them the opportunity to read about how much their heavenly father loves them.
