Find ways to Serve

In 2003 the film Bruce Almighty was first released in the UK, a film that explores the idea of what really happens we do a Random Act Of Kindness, through Jim Carries character who believes he is better than everyone else in his TV career so curses God when his boss overlooks him for next news anchor position. So, God hearing his curse offers him the chance to do his job, and after a short spree of selfishness realises that prayers were going unanswered.

You see service in our communities is all about Random Acts of Kindness. Many people who are money driven see volunteering as a waste of time because there is no benefit to self. But this is the different between work and service, work is about self, putting food on the table, keeping a roof over our heads. While serving is about helping others. And it doesn’t have to just be about formally volunteering, here are 9 other ways you can serve in your community.

1) Donate blood, its not always considered as serving, but donating blood is helping to save lives. Not just in your local community, but the wider community, the whole country, especially if you have a rare blood type.

2) Help a neighbour, maybe you have an elderly neighbour or disabled person living next to you or near you on your road. Go do the week shop, stop by for chat and coffee. It doesn’t have to be complicated or hours of your day. If you are already going shopping or maybe you have 20 minutes spare before you go to work. Just make time for people.

3) Offer your specialist skills outside of work, like first aid. If you are helping at an event or in a formal volunteer setting, make it known that you have a certificate in the skill. Or let your neighbours know, then if there is an accident, they will know who to ask for help. If you know DIY, let people now, you may not want to do extra work, but can always offer advice. And this sometimes all that people want, is someone who can guide them.

4) Help at a local food back or kitchen for the homeless. Charities like Salvation Army look for this kind of support. The experience brings you closer to those on the margins of your community. When you take the time to listen to their stories it gives you a different perspective of life.

5) Leave a written note of kind words for someone to find. This has been done in so many ways, among stock on the shelf in a shop, on a tree in the local park, even in public toilets. It’s all about the kindness of strangers.

6) Pay for the shopping of the person behind you in the cue. It seems weird, but it is an act of kindness, just watch the expression their face when you say, you did it, just because. Or if you say you want them to pass the kindness on to someone else, you will be surprised at just how that kindness spreads.

7) Smile at the stranger as you pass in the street. Even ask them how they are. They say the smile is one of the most contagious things in the world and even someone having a bad day will almost feel compelled to smile back.

8) Invite someone you wouldn’t normally over to dinner. Take time to listen to their story. We live in a busy world and sometimes we forget the importance of social interaction.

9) Pick up a couple of items of litter as you pass on the street. There is this thing going round on social media saying that now we are allowed back on the beach everyone should collect 6 pieces of litter. If we did that everywhere, can you imagine how quickly the country would become clean again?

So, 9 random acts of kindness that cost nothing to carry out. It is important to understand that serving is about the other person, not about what we can get for ourselves. That said though, the more acts of kindness that come out of us then the more that will come back to us. It is important to know that this is not about making everyone happy, it’s about the act of giving. Become so busy serving that you don’t have time to play trivial pursuit.