Unusual Kindness

The world often runs on self-interest. People help when it’s convenient, give when it’s safe, and love when it’s easy. But the kind of kindness God calls us to show is something different—unusual kindness.
It’s the kind that stops people in their tracks. The kind that doesn’t make sense by the world’s standards. The kind that shines in dark places and reminds others of the goodness of God.

1. The Example from Malta

“The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.” — Acts 28:2 (NIV)

When the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta, he and everyone with him were cold, wet, and exhausted. The locals didn’t know them. They had no reason to help a group of foreign castaways. Yet they did. They built a fire. They welcomed them in.
That act of simple hospitality is what Scripture calls unusual kindness.

Unusual kindness is kindness that goes beyond obligation. It isn’t based on who deserves it. It’s love in action—unexpected, unconditional, and powerful.

2. Kindness That Reflects Christ

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

As followers of Jesus, we don’t show kindness just to be polite. We show it because kindness reflects the heart of Christ.
Jesus reached out to the leper, spoke to the Samaritan woman, fed the hungry, and forgave those who crucified Him. Every act of compassion He showed was unusual—because it broke cultural norms and personal comfort for the sake of love.

When we choose to be kind to the difficult, the different, and the undeserving, we mirror Him.

3. The Power of Unusual Kindness

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” — Romans 12:21 (NIV)

Kindness has the power to disarm hostility, heal wounds, and open doors that anger and judgment never could.
It’s easy to respond to coldness with coldness. It takes spiritual strength to answer bitterness with grace. But when we do, we participate in God’s redemptive work.

One act of unusual kindness can change the course of someone’s day—or their life.

4. How to Practice Unusual Kindness

Unusual kindness doesn’t have to be complicated. It simply requires a heart willing to see and serve others.

Here are a few ways to live it out:

• Listen before you speak. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do is give someone your attention.
• Forgive quickly. Don’t let grudges harden your heart.
• Help quietly. Kindness doesn’t need to be seen to be powerful.
• Welcome the stranger. Be the one who makes others feel they belong.
• Pray for those who hurt you. It’s the highest form of kindness.
  
  

“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.” — Luke 6:35 (NIV)

5. A Call to Be Different

We live in a time where selfishness is common, and compassion is rare. But God calls His people to stand out.
To love differently. To serve differently. To show unusual kindness in a world that desperately needs it.

When we do, others won’t just see our goodness—they’ll see God’s goodness shining through us.

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

Conclusion

Unusual kindness is not weakness—it’s strength under the control of love. It’s what turns strangers into friends, enemies into brothers, and moments into testimonies.
Let your kindness be so uncommon that people can only explain it by the presence of Christ in you.