Lift One Another: 5 Scripture-Rooted Ways to Show Kindness This Holiday Season

A busy holiday season can make it easy to miss the person right in front of us. Someone in our church may be carrying grief. A neighbor may need a little practical help. A family member may need us to put down the phone and listen.

Scripture gives us a clear place to begin: love God and love our neighbors. Read Mark 12:28–31, then consider what that love could look like in your next ordinary interaction. These five practices offer a simple starting point for your family, small group, or personal quiet time.

1. Ask Before You Help

Read: Philippians 2:3–4.

Paul calls believers to humility and concern for the interests of others. That starts with listening. The help we imagine someone needs may be different from what would actually serve them.

Try this: Ask someone you know, “What would make this week a little easier?” If you can help, agree on one specific step. Respect their answer if they would rather keep something private or decline.

Reflect: Am I making room for this person's priorities, or assuming that mine are the same?

2. Share a Burden You Can Carry

Read: Galatians 6:2.

We are called to bear one another's burdens. That can happen through ordinary acts: bringing an agreed-upon meal, helping with a task, or staying present through a difficult conversation. We do not need to solve every problem to offer faithful support.

Try this: Offer one realistic form of help: “I can bring dinner on Thursday. Would that be useful?” Check dietary needs before preparing food, and follow through only on what you can genuinely do.

Reflect: What can I offer consistently, with the time and resources I have?

3. Encourage Someone Specifically

Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

Encouragement helps build up the people around us. A specific word can show someone that their quiet care has been noticed.

Try this: Write a short note to a friend, church volunteer, teacher, or family member. Name something you appreciate: “Thank you for making time to listen. Your patience helped me feel less alone.” Use your own words and a real example.

Reflect: Whose faithful service have I started to take for granted?

4. Give Quietly and Thoughtfully

Read: Matthew 6:1–4 and Hebrews 13:16.

Jesus warns against practicing generosity for applause. Hebrews reminds believers to do good and share. Together, these passages invite us to serve with attention to the person receiving care rather than the recognition we might receive.

Try this: Check the current needs of a local ministry or community organization before donating. If you help someone directly, protect their dignity and privacy. A kind act does not need a photo or a public story.

Reflect: Would I still want to do this if nobody else knew?

5. Make Room at Your Table

Read: Romans 12:13.

Paul connects meeting needs with practicing hospitality. Hospitality can be simple: a cup of tea, a shared meal, or an unhurried conversation. What matters is the welcome, not an impressive home or an expensive menu.

Try this: Invite someone you already know to spend time together, with no pressure to accept. Ask what would help them feel comfortable. A short visit or a phone call may fit better than a gathering.

Reflect: How can I make space for someone without making the occasion harder than it needs to be?

A Simple Family Practice for This Week

Choose one passage above and read it together in your preferred Bible translation. Each person can suggest one act of care. Pick a plan that fits your household, decide who will do what, and check in afterward.

When you reflect, ask, “Did we listen well?” and “What did we learn?” Keep the other person's private circumstances out of the conversation when they do not need to be shared. Children can participate through a drawing, a kind note, or an age-appropriate task with an adult.

A Prayer for Willing Hands

Father, thank You for loving us through Jesus Christ. Open our eyes to the people around us. Give us humility to listen, wisdom to help well, and patience to follow through. Let our words encourage and our actions reflect Your love. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Carry the Reminder Into Your Day

Our Lift One Another hoodie carries a helping-hand design and the message “Love God. Uplift Others.” Let that reminder lead to something practical: listen carefully, share a burden, and encourage someone nearby.

Start with one person and one act of care this week.