This past week, I had the pleasure of listening to Leigh Anne Tuohy speak at Oklahoma State University and it was an eye-opening experience, to say the least. Most people know of Tuohy from the hit movie "The Blind Side," and while that's what put her family in the spotlight, it's her heart and passion for giving that has kept her there. Hearing her talk about how we should give back and pay attention to the people around us got me thinking about how our society needs a change and we need it now.

As of 2013, 610,042 people in the United States were homeless. Today, 397,122 children are in foster homes and waiting to be adopted. Some of these children will have to wait years before they are adopted, while others will never find a permanent home. Some kids fear going to school every day because of the bullies they will face. Some people in our country have full-time jobs, yet still struggle to pay all of their bills.

The fact of the matter is, every person has their own struggle that we may never know by just looking at them. The person you pass on the street could have just lost their job, the person you see with a tattered shirt might not have enough money to buy a new one, yet when we see these people we judge them. We judge them if they don't look like us, or act like us, and it's disheartening.

We've created a society where too many people grow up without love in their lives. We allow other people to feel like they have failed because they may be different than us, or act differently than us, or have less than us. It's become normal to judge from afar instead of doing something nice for the people who need it most.

So here's my challenge to you: do something kind for the person who may not look like they've had the best day. Offer to buy a coffee for someone in line, buy a meal for someone in need, give a pair of shoes to someone who doesn't have any, or simply sit and have a conversation with someone you see sitting alone. When another person reaches out to somebody else by doing something nice, it tends to go a long way for a person who maybe hasn't seen that kind of kindness or interest in a while.

We let too many people slip through the cracks because we are too consumed and caught up in our own lives, as well as our phones. Don't be afraid to approach someone and ask to sit down with them to buy a coffee. Chances are, you'll make that person's day just by offering your time to them. The greatest gift you can give to someone isn't material things, but rather your time. By spending your time with someone, you're investing in them and giving something you'll never earn back.

Go out and be the change we need in this world. Encourage the people around you to do more for the people they pass on the street. Something as simple as bringing kindness back into our cold world could be saving lives and restoring faith in humanity.