Next-Wave Ezine > church & culture

Oprah: A Catalyst for Kindness
By Steve Sjogren

Have you noticed that on every cover of Oprah’s magazine she is smiling? Think what you want, but I believe her smile is sincere. She does nothing for financial gain—that point in her life passed long ago. For Oprah, it’s about spiritual meaning.

Measuring America’s Spiritual Hunger

If spiritual health is measured according to outward matters, the decline of the Roman, Protestant, or yo- name-it, empire is upon us. But maybe spiritual health is not so one-dimensional as 30-second phone polls can measure.

Attendance, size, the counting of heads is not the sole barometer most “Influentials” in history have relied upon to measure the true state of spiritual affairs.

Jesus did not pay one spit of attention to the fluctuating attendance of the crowds who showed up when He spoke.

If we insist on counting something, Jesus might encourage us to count backward—to measure what we have given away. America has had it with “come and see” spirituality. Now is the day of “go and do.” And Jesus launched that movement some time ago.

Does Oprah Understand Something Church Leaders Don’t?

Oprah's Big Give

When Oprah speaks, things happen.

This is no news flash, though. Oprah’s vast influence extends beyond the media scene and into the deepest parts of the spiritual heart of the United States. How? you wonder. She is in touch with non-complex heart leanings in each of us—inclinations that have been placed in us by God.

On her hit prime-time show, Oprah’s Big Give, Oprah has noticed the power generosity has to change lives. Like every reality show, this one has an abundance of adrenaline-filled contestants. Jumping abounds. There is an unnatural amount of smiling going on. But her show is unique as well. The winner is the one who gives away the greatest amount of money over several weeks—in as wise a way as possible.

Oprah has tapped into the depths of all of us. It’s the “if money were no object” dream we talk about—and this dream is becoming viral. Everyone is chatting about it. This virus might just get out of control, in the best sense.

Kindness, Schmindness. So What?

Kindness is a word that has been bandied about in recent years. We confuse it with similar words (like niceness), but it stands head and shoulders above synonyms.

The “God factor” is what distinguishes kindness from niceness or other even less powerful encounters. Any of us can be nice when the mood strikes us, when we are feeling rested, well, etc. Kindness is another matter completely. Kindness, to be clear, is only possible when God shows up.

You and I don’t know each other, but this I suspect about you: Regardless of how broken your upbringing may have been, there were moments when kindness occurred along your journey.

I did not grow up attending church (to be accurate, I was downright skeptical of all things church-ish), but I can now see the seeds of kindness that were scattered into my soul, which led to a profound conversion during college. Those seeds were slow-growing, undetected, but they eventually bore fruit. It was God at work beneath the surface.

When our lives have been touched by authentic kindness, we tend to never forget those moments. They are everlasting, living encounters. Only the God of the universe can orchestrate such.

Friend or Faux?

In recent years, many have begun to notice the latent power of kindness, serving and generosity. More than a small percentage of spiritual organizations have sought to use kindness as a tool—something to promote a message. In that equation, the understanding is: We serve; then people will listen. Kindness is not a tool one can use to gain advantage over others!

Any thinking in this direction attempts to manipulate both God and His people. Neither God nor most people will put up with such nonsense. People are not oblivious when agendas are present. To be kind but not genuine is to destroy the possibility of conveying a positive message.

Indeed, a message will be conveyed—that God's "kindness" ambassadors are giving in order to get.

Breaking Free

When God’s kindness is loosed, a culture begins to build. In my everyday life I connect with many people in simple ways that ease their burdens. One hundred percent of them ask why I am showing them practical kindness (paying for their Starbucks drink, showing them respect by remembering their names at the places I frequent, getting a drink or a bottle of water for the cashier who is serving me.). I wouldn't qualify as a winner on Oprah's Big Give, but in my own way I am tapping in to what God wants to do in the lives of people I encounter. He wants to show them kindness!

Here's a well-kept secret. When I give, when I serve, when I ask God to let his kindness flow through me, I get far more from the experience than the person on the receiving end! How cool is that? Just keep it in mind when you start your day tomorrow, ask God, "Show me a way I can show your kindness to someone I meet today." Let me know what happens.

Steve Sjogren and his wife Janie have been part of the founding team of several churches - mostly notably, the Vineyard of Cincinnati - something that gained momentum in spite of the famously unfriendly reputation of the city. He is now giving away this painstaking discovery: when we dare give what we do not possess God shows up to make altruistic dreams real. If you are a dreamer and can write please connect with him.