When Kindness Costs You

When I was in the fifth grade, I had the misfortune – at least that’s what I thought at the time – of being assigned to Miss. Sapaki’s social studies class.

Now, Miss. Sapaki had a reputation. She never smiled. She wore those sensible rubber-soled shoes that made her footsteps impossible to hear, so she could appear beside you without warning. And she was a hard taskmaster – no excuses accepted for anything.

We were all a little afraid of her. Actually, more than a little. When students misbehaved, teachers didn’t threaten to send them to the principal’s office. The real threat was, “Do you want me to send you to Miss Sapaki?” That alone would set any student straight.

But halfway through the school year, something happened that changed my view of her completely, and taught me a life lesson I’m still unpacking today.

An Unexpected Kindness

Our class was assigned a six-week group project on South America. Each group member had to come in early before school started to work on their part of the project every week.

That was a problem for me.

I lived across town from school, and the bus wasn’t going to get me there in time. Both of my parents worked outside of our city, and back then, there was no such thing as “coming in late” for a kid’s school project.

I explained all this to Miss Sapaki, fully expecting her to give me that stern look over the top of her glasses and tell me it was my responsibility to figure it out.

Instead, miracle of miracles, she said, “It’s not a problem. I’ll come pick you up every week for the six weeks.”

I could hardly believe it. That meant a 30-minute drive for her both ways… every week.

But there was another wrinkle: I was the oldest child, and I was responsible for making sure my little brother got on the school bus.

Miss. Sapaki didn’t blink. She said she’d pick him up, too. And since his class didn’t start until later, she’d watch him while I worked.

The Moment My Opinion Changed Forever

On that first early morning, my brother and I stood waiting in the crisp air. Soon, her quiet little car pulled up. We got in, still a little nervous.

When we got to the school, she took my brother to her classroom and, to my shock, I saw her down on the floor playing Hot Wheels cars with him. She was laughing, really laughing, and smiling.

I was stunned.

This became our routine for the next six weeks. Every early morning pickup, every car ride, every moment of watching her, this “scary” teacher, show a different side of herself changed my view completely.

I remember asking my mom why she thought Miss. Sapaki would go to all that trouble for me.

My mom said something that stuck with me: “Despite what you thought, Miss Sapaki cares about her students.”

The Power of Kindness at the Inconvenient Times

Now that I’m older, I realize the full weight of what she did. This wasn’t convenient for her. She had to get up earlier, drive out of her way, adjust her own morning, and watch a first grader who wasn’t even her student.

But she did it anyway.

This is the kind of kindness Jesus talked about, the kind that costs you something.

In Luke 10, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. The priest and the Levite passed by the wounded man because stopping would have been inconvenient. But the Samaritan stopped, helped, paid for care, and followed up.

Kindness that honors God is often inconvenient. It interrupts our plans. It asks us to stretch beyond what’s comfortable. It may require our time, our resources, or even our emotional energy.

Proverbs 3:27 says: “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”

Miss. Sapaki didn’t withhold good from me just because it was inconvenient. She saw a need, and she met it.

The Ripple Effect of One Act of Kindness

Here’s the thing – she didn’t just help me complete a social studies project. She showed me a glimpse of the heart of God.

God’s kindness toward us is rarely “convenient” from our perspective. Romans 5:8 reminds us: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Jesus’ sacrifice was the ultimate example of love and generosity in the face of inconvenience, discomfort, and even pain.

When we show kindness in those “it’s not easy” moments, we reflect the love of God in a way that can deeply impact someone’s life. My fifth-grade self didn’t have words for it back then, but that experience planted a seed in me about the kind of person I wanted to be.

Why We Resist Inconvenient Kindness

Let’s be honest, it’s easy to help when it fits neatly into our schedule. But when it costs us our plans, our comfort, or our resources, our flesh tends to resist.

We tell ourselves:

• “I don’t have time.”
• “Someone else will help.”
• “It’s not my problem.”

But those are the moments when kindness matters most. As Galatians 6:9 urges us: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

The harvest isn’t just for the person receiving kindness – it’s also for the one giving it.

Choosing Kindness Even When It’s Hard

So how do we cultivate a heart that responds with kindness, even when it’s inconvenient?

1. Stay Spiritually Sensitive
   Ask the Holy Spirit to keep your eyes open for opportunities to serve. Sometimes, that nudge you feel is God inviting you to be His hands and feet in that moment.
2. Remember It’s Not About You
   Inconvenience feels smaller when you remember the bigger picture – that God may be using you to answer someone else’s prayer.
3. Make Margin in Your Life
   If every moment of your day is packed, you’ll have no room for unexpected opportunities to help. Build in breathing room so you can say “yes” when God calls.
4. Reflect on God’s Kindness to You
   When you think about the ways God has gone out of His way to bless you, it becomes easier to extend that same grace to others.

A Lasting Lesson

That six-week season with Miss. Sapaki taught me that people aren’t always what they seem. And more importantly, it showed me that kindness is most powerful when it costs something.

I’ll never forget the sight of her on the floor playing Hot Wheels with my little brother, completely unbothered by the extra work or the early mornings. That was a picture of Christlike generosity I didn’t have words for at the time – but I do now.

In Matthew 5:16, Jesus says: “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Miss Sapaki’s light was shining. And all these years later, it still inspires me to let mine shine, too.

Your Turn

Who in your life could use a little inconvenient kindness from you this week? It might be a neighbor who needs a ride, a coworker who needs someone to listen, or a friend who could use a meal dropped off.

Ask God to make you aware, and then be willing to go out of your way.

Because the truth is, you never know whose life you’ll change with one act of generosity. And you may just plant a seed that grows for decades to come.