This past Sunday I spoke about the well-intentioned, but naive advice to “practice random acts of kindness.” It’s not that we don’t need more kindness in the world; it’s that “random” just doesn’t get the job done. The forces that work against kindness, generosity, neighborliness and peace in this world are not random, but well-organized, often institutionalized, and extremely persistent. They depend on our “random” response for their very survival. We can do better — and we must.
The overwhelming response to my sermon prompted me to share it more widely. I’ve uploaded the entire manuscript on Scribd.com and you can find it here. Please share the link with friends and colleagues if you feel so inclined.