Moving with Kindness

This summer at camp, I watched something beautiful unfold. Yes, there were the expected joys, children racing across fields, laughter echoing around the dining hall, faces glowing with excitement on sports day. But what stood out most weren’t the activities or even the song sung on the last night. It was the quiet, unplanned, yet powerful thread of kindness and friendships that wove its way through every day.

• A camper who noticed someone left out and invited them into the game.
• Another who, without fuss, bent down to tie a shoelace for a friend.
• A group of children rallying around the one who was nervous on the races and voices cheering until courage replaced fear.

These moments could have gone unnoticed, but together they created something stronger, a rope binding the whole camp together. And it reminded me of Hosea’s words:

“I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.” Hosea 11:4

God doesn’t pull us forward with force. He draws us gently, leading us with ropes woven not of pressure or power, but of kindness and love. That’s the kind of leadership we saw between the children. Every small gesture of kindness became a tie that connected hearts together and made the whole group stronger.

Scripture is full of reminders of kindness:

• “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”(Ephesians 4:32).
• “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31).
• “Love is patient, love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4).

At family camp, these verses came alive. They weren’t just words on a page; they were actions in the mud, on the playground, around the dinner table.

And here’s the thing, kindness isn’t weakness. It’s strength. It anchors us when life feels stormy. It uplifts when someone feels left behind. It creates a safe place where children and adults can be brave, try new things, and feel loved. Kindness is contagious, too. One act sparks another, until a whole community is moving in step with compassion.

At Anchored Hope, we believe this is what we’re called to reflect in our own lives. To be people rooted like the palm tree (Psalm 92:12), yet tender and willing to bend with love. To let our actions be ropes of kindness, gently pulling others closer  to hope, to connection, to God.

As we move into the seasons ahead, let’s carry this lesson from camp… choose kindness daily. Not in grand, showy ways, but in small, steady acts that draw others in.

A smile, a word of encouragement, a listening ear , each is a rope of kindness, strong enough to change the course of a day.

 Reflection: Where might you be called to extend a rope of kindness this week? Who needs that gentle tie of love that will remind them they are not alone?