Kindness is one of those Life-Apps that is always in season. More than just having good manners, kindness reflects a core principle: that every person is made in the image of God, and is valuable to Him. Being nice seeks no one’s harm; being kind seeks others’ good. Kids are often told to “be nice”, “share” and “get along”, but how can we as Small Group Leaders encourage them to treat others as God’s special creation?

“Treat others as you want to be treated” is a pretty good rule of thumb, especially because most kids want to be treated like they are special. Most kids love treats, fun surprises, and VIP service! We can help our few love, give, and serve with the same enthusiasm as if they were the ones on the receiving end. This might seem a tall order, but consider some of these small steps:

• Challenge your few to surprise someone with kindness: maybe they sneak out a little early to the bus stop in order to take the trash bins to the curb so their parents don’t have to do it; or they could leave a note or drawing at a school administrator’s desk to brighten their day.
• They can serve out of kindness: doing a sibling’s chore or offering to clean up after sports practice to help their coach show how valuable they think those people are.
• The can give from kindness and share their Valentine’s candy with an older or younger sibling who didn’t have a party, or give their time and wait patiently while their parents are chatting after church instead of getting frustrated with their immediate lack of donuts.

All of these situations help put your few into the shoes of people made in God’s image, just like them, who should be shown kindness, just like them. This month, be an example of kindness yourself, in how you treat your few, and in how you treat the others in your lives. We all could use a refresher course in the Golden Rule, and kindness always deserves a replay!