Showing Kindness at the Office

Here's a good resolution to set and one that should be easy to carry out. Here are some practical ways to show kindness to others at the office:

Note special occasions. If your office posts a monthly list of employee birthdays, send a short email - just a simple note wishing them a great day.

Ask how someone is doing –and wait for a response. The next time you ask someone, “How are you doing?” stop them and really listen to their answer. Hint: You may have to follow up by asking, “How are you really doing?” or "On a scale of 1 to 10, where would you rate that?"

Pick up the slack. Help someone. Offer to make their copies when you're through with the machine. Stay late to help someone meet a deadline.

Reprimand kindly. If you must reprimand someone, follow Christ's command to treat others as you could like to be treated. Do it privately and kindly. If appropriate, offer to help the person in his area of struggle. If you receive a reprimand, control your temper. Take a walk, cool off, and request to speak with your supervisor privately if follow-up is needed. If you have a true difference of opinion, express it professionally while showing respect for your supervisor’s authority.

Be generous. Buy a $3.50 box of Girl Scouts cookies from a coworker's child, pay with a $5 bill, and tell her to keep the change. Practice going the extra mile.

Recognize Someone. Every week, pick out one person – it could be the janitor or the boss – and thank him or her for doing their job well.

Provide Laughter. Laughter is good medicine. Post a cartoon in the break room. Leave a mystery gag gift in someone’s chair. Lift someone’s spirits. But always be sensitive and appropriate in your subject.

Write it down. Keep a supply of note cards in your desk drawer. When someone is on your mind, take it as the Holy Spirit’s prompting to drop a line to them saying that you’re thinking/praying for them.

Remember the quote from Mark Twain: "Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."

Copyright 1998, Dik Lapine and Christianity Today International/BuildingChurchLeaders.com. Used with permission.

THINGS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN ....

FOR EDUCATION STAFF: GBREA Workshop at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, Marietta, January 19 & 20 with Allan Taylor, Dillard Wilbanks, and Steve Parr plus breakout conference leaders- http://www.gbrea.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=39977&PID=890161

FOR SMALL GROUP MINISTRY: Fresh: Reviving Stale Faith by Kerry Shook, explores ancient disciplines and reveals the irony of how patterns of the past are really practices that promise to revive faith. - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/fresh-reviving-stale-faith-leader-kit-P005470699

FOR SMALL GROUP MINISTRY: Stolen by Chris and Kerry Shook, things that rob us of our passion, joy, peace, strength, spiritual inheritance, and dreams - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/stolen-dvd-leader-kit-P005469705

FOR SMALL GROUP MINISTRY: Group Insights Leader Training Kit by Les Parrott & Bill Donahue, provide a small group leader insights for deepening the small group experience - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/group-insights-leader-kit-P005487574

FOR WOMEN’S MINISTRY: Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break by Kelly Minter - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/group-insights-leader-kit-P005487574

FOR DISCIPLESHIP STUDY: Honor Begins at Home - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/honor-begins-at-home-the-courageous-bible-study-leader-kit-p005325609

FOR CHURCH & COMMUNITY MINISTRY: Courageous DVD and Site License for Church showing - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/courageous-dvd-and-site-licenses-M00000213

FOR COMMUNITY MINISTRY: October Baby movie coming in March 2012 - http://octoberbabymovie.net/

FOR LEADER TRAINING: Sunday School in HD Conference at FBC/Woodstock, March 15 & 16 - http://sundayschoolinhd.org/

COMING NEW BIBLE STUDY CURRICULUM: The Gospel Project, Trevin Wax, editor, a description of the dynamics of this new curriculum coming in Fall 2012 - http://trevinwax.com/2011/11/21/the-gospel-project/

Why Jesus is Better Than Santa Claus

(author unknown)

Santa lives at the North Pole .................
JESUS is everywhere.
Santa rides in a sleigh .............................
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
Santa comes only once a year ...............
JESUS is always with you.
Santa fills your stockings with goodies ......
JESUS supplies all your needs.
Santa comes down your chimney uninvited ...............
JESUS stands at your life's door and patiently waits to enter in.
You have to wait in line to see Santa ......................
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.
Santa lets you sit on his lap .................
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.
Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly ..................
JESUS has a heart full of love.
All Santa can offer is 'Ho, Ho, Ho' ........................
JESUS says 'Cast all your cares on me."
Santa's little helpers makes toys ....................
JESUS creates new life, mends wounded hearts, and repairs broken homes.
Santa may make you chuckle but .......................
JESUS gives you joy that becomes your strength.
While Santa puts gifts under your tree ..................
JESUS became your gift and died on a tree.

It's obvious that there is really no comparison. We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about. Remember to keep Christ in Christmas and that He is the reason for the season.

Yes, Virginia, there may be a Santa Claus, but JESUS IS BETTER, even better than Santa Claus.

THINGS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN .......


FOR EDUCATION MINISTRY LEADERS: 2012 GBREA Conference at Johnson Ferry/Marietta - http://www.gbrea.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=39977&PID=890161

FOR CHURCH MINISTRY: Secure a 'Courageous' movie viewing license - http://www.lifeway.com/n/Movies-&-Videos/LifeWay-Films?intcmp=iTeam1-LWMain-Hero1-CourageousSiteLicense-20111128

FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Honor Begins at Home study (available January 17, 2012) - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/honor-begins-at-home-the-courageous-bible-study-leader-kit-p005325609

FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Seven Daily Sins: How the Gospel Redeems Our Deepest Desires by Jared Wilson - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/seven-daily-sins-dvd-leader-kit-P005474748

FOR WOMEN'S MINISTRY: Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break by Kelly Minter (available February 1, 2012) - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/nehemiah-a-heart-that-can-break-dvd-leader-kit-P005461775

FOR SMALL GROUP MINISTRY: Fresh: Reviving Stale Faith by Kerry Shook - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/fresh-reviving-stale-faith-leader-kit-P005470699

FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL MINISTRY: Grouping Adults in Sunday School webcast by David Francis and Bruce Raley; a free 10 minute video helps you effectively group adult in Bible study experiences where they can relate to God's Word and to other people. - http://www.lifeway.com/Article/Leadership-Training-Webcast-Grouping-Adults-in-Sunday-School

FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL MINISTRY: Using E-mail in the Adult Class webcast by Sergio Arce and Bruce Raley; download this 10 minute video that encourages viewers to learn to use emails as a significant means of communication when use as an additional 'touch point' - http://www.lifeway.com/Article/Leadership-Training-Webcast-Using-Email-in-the-Adult-Class

FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL MINISTRY: Using the Learner Guide in Bible study webcast by David Apple and Alan Raughton; this 10 minute training video will provide ideas to encourage your class members to use their learner guides to enhance their Bible study experiences - http://www.lifeway.com/Article/Leadership-Training-Webcast-Using-the-Learner-Guide-in-Teaching