Comments on: Un-Random Acts of Kindness http://www.parkstreetbrethren.org/discuss/2007/10/unrandom-acts-of-kindness/ Thoughts & Sidenotes Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:32:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Kevin Gibson http://www.parkstreetbrethren.org/discuss/2007/10/unrandom-acts-of-kindness/comment-page-1/#comment-76 Kevin Gibson Sat, 10 Nov 2007 20:57:14 +0000 http://www.luminusnetwork.com/blog/?p=21#comment-76 I'm not sure your idea of acts of kindness would be outside the argument of the article. I think that ROAKs are more random for the person receiving them than the person "performing" them. In neither situation is the person being blessed having the expectation of the act. I can work for years, or seconds, on an act and it still be random. If we never expect such acts from the people in our lives, but still know the act is performed in love, thought & warmth, it is still random. We, as humans, can never truly be random. Our minds get in the way and think "oh, we haven't done or chosen x, y, or z in a while, to be random I have to choose one of those next." But if something is truly random, every possibility has the same chance of occurring as the previous possibility. I also think that any thing done in love can't be random. If we are seeing and hearing people with the heart of Christ and respond with the same heart, there isn't anything random about it. Christ is carrying out His "ROAK" through us, both in those hit-and-run and well-planned acts. Hope that made sense.... I’m not sure your idea of acts of kindness would be outside the argument of the article. I think that ROAKs are more random for the person receiving them than the person “performing” them. In neither situation is the person being blessed having the expectation of the act. I can work for years, or seconds, on an act and it still be random. If we never expect such acts from the people in our lives, but still know the act is performed in love, thought & warmth, it is still random. We, as humans, can never truly be random. Our minds get in the way and think “oh, we haven’t done or chosen x, y, or z in a while, to be random I have to choose one of those next.” But if something is truly random, every possibility has the same chance of occurring as the previous possibility.

I also think that any thing done in love can’t be random. If we are seeing and hearing people with the heart of Christ and respond with the same heart, there isn’t anything random about it. Christ is carrying out His “ROAK” through us, both in those hit-and-run and well-planned acts.

Hope that made sense….

]]> By: Allison http://www.parkstreetbrethren.org/discuss/2007/10/unrandom-acts-of-kindness/comment-page-1/#comment-75 Allison Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:03:35 +0000 http://www.luminusnetwork.com/blog/?p=21#comment-75 This reminds me of a church I went to where in Sunday School (maybe 6th grade) we were asked how many people we saved (led to the Lord) in our lives. We each went around in a circle and shared the number. I said six-hundred and sixty six people just to tick them off. No, I'm kidding. I don't remember what I said. But I do remember to this day that even at a young age I had a problem with that. That "winning" factor. They could have asked me to keep track of all the nice things I've done for people so I can make sure they pay me back someday too- who cares?? So from then on, I actually did try to tell more people about Jesus (and also tell them they were going to Hell if they didn't let Him in their heart) so I didn't look like such a heathen at church. It wasn't till high school that I really realized that odd feeling I felt when thinking that way WASN'T in the Lord's plan. Forget numbers and trash the alterior motives. I'm still working on the motives thing. I think we all are. This reminds me of a church I went to where in Sunday School (maybe 6th grade) we were asked how many people we saved (led to the Lord) in our lives. We each went around in a circle and shared the number. I said six-hundred and sixty six people just to tick them off. No, I’m kidding. I don’t remember what I said. But I do remember to this day that even at a young age I had a problem with that. That “winning” factor. They could have asked me to keep track of all the nice things I’ve done for people so I can make sure they pay me back someday too- who cares?? So from then on, I actually did try to tell more people about Jesus (and also tell them they were going to Hell if they didn’t let Him in their heart) so I didn’t look like such a heathen at church. It wasn’t till high school that I really realized that odd feeling I felt when thinking that way WASN’T in the Lord’s plan. Forget numbers and trash the alterior motives. I’m still working on the motives thing. I think we all are.

]]> By: Wende http://www.parkstreetbrethren.org/discuss/2007/10/unrandom-acts-of-kindness/comment-page-1/#comment-74 Wende Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:49:14 +0000 http://www.luminusnetwork.com/blog/?p=21#comment-74 I have nothing against "random acts of kindness"; in fact, I love being on both the giving and receiving end of them. But the motivation behind the RAOK and the mode of delivering it make all the difference in the world. Case in point... (and I keep bringing up this "Faith in Action" thing... sorry! it just taught me so many lessons) when our FIA team was planning this huge thing for Sept. 30, we started by using the handbook that came with the pastor's kit. And even though the whole thing was an awesome idea, the promotional tools and some of the ideas that came in the box sort of made me want to throw up a little. But as a former marketing person, I at first planned to follow their step-by-step guidebook, with the press releases and banner on the front lawn proclaiming us a "Faith in Action Church" and door hangers and the whole bit. Then one of the skeptical 20-somethings on our FIA team said a few frustrated, impassioned words that made me rethink everything: He said something like, "We have to treat these people like Jesus would. He would make them feel important and valued... not like a program or a charity case." So we ditched the external promo materials... the banners telling the neighborhood how great we were... and anything that might make those we were serving feel like they were some Christian's way of scoring brownie points with God. We scrapped the stuff that just felt wrong because it was not in the best interest of helping people experience the love of Jesus, and we reframed Faith in Action as a way to start a love relationship with our community. That changed everything. I have nothing against “random acts of kindness”; in fact, I love being on both the giving and receiving end of them. But the motivation behind the RAOK and the mode of delivering it make all the difference in the world. Case in point… (and I keep bringing up this “Faith in Action” thing… sorry! it just taught me so many lessons) when our FIA team was planning this huge thing for Sept. 30, we started by using the handbook that came with the pastor’s kit. And even though the whole thing was an awesome idea, the promotional tools and some of the ideas that came in the box sort of made me want to throw up a little. But as a former marketing person, I at first planned to follow their step-by-step guidebook, with the press releases and banner on the front lawn proclaiming us a “Faith in Action Church” and door hangers and the whole bit. Then one of the skeptical 20-somethings on our FIA team said a few frustrated, impassioned words that made me rethink everything: He said something like, “We have to treat these people like Jesus would. He would make them feel important and valued… not like a program or a charity case.” So we ditched the external promo materials… the banners telling the neighborhood how great we were… and anything that might make those we were serving feel like they were some Christian’s way of scoring brownie points with God. We scrapped the stuff that just felt wrong because it was not in the best interest of helping people experience the love of Jesus, and we reframed Faith in Action as a way to start a love relationship with our community. That changed everything.

]]> By: Glenn http://www.parkstreetbrethren.org/discuss/2007/10/unrandom-acts-of-kindness/comment-page-1/#comment-73 Glenn Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:28:22 +0000 http://www.luminusnetwork.com/blog/?p=21#comment-73 I like the idea of the "real estate" separating the two. I for one have had a lot of fun with some roaks taken out on Christian friends. I like roaks for serving my community...not so much as evangelistic trickery. I like the idea of the “real estate” separating the two. I for one have had a lot of fun with some roaks taken out on Christian friends. I like roaks for serving my community…not so much as evangelistic trickery.

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