10 ways to show love to strangers.

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13.2

Early in the morning, out in the streets to meet the day's demands, we walk past thousands of people, some with smiling faces, some with neutral faces, some with sad faces. We never really notice whatever emotion is written on their faces because we are too engrossed in our own problems, keeping to ourselves, "minding our business".

We get to meet people we will probably never see again. The Uber driver that took you to work, the guy that took the remaining space in the parking lot and had you going off to find a place to park your car, the lady that scratched your car trying to maneuver traffic, a random driver honking too loud and disturbing the peace of everyone.

We can never tell what someone is dealing with by the look on their faces. No one has their problems spelled out on their faces. The best we can do to strangers we meet is to show them random acts of kindness, to give them proof that people who are genuinely good and kind still exist.

Here are ten ways to show love to strangers:

Generosity:

Random acts of generosity can brighten one's day. Offer to pay for the person behind you in a queue, donate household items to charity, celebrate a special day with kids in a foster home, pay for someone's bus fare. These random acts which mugt seem so little can go a long way to brighten someone's day. It pays to be the reason someone was grateful.

Be compassionate:

We tend to be so self-centered as humans, thinking about ourselves and how the actions of other people affect us. Stepping into the shoes of other people for at least a day gives us a chance to be compassionate, thinking about others and putting their needs first before ours.

Having compassion for people enables us to give people the same measure of grace we received for the things we struggled with. Compassion helps us to be less judgmental towards other people, understanding that to each one, a certain level of grace is given, and we must be patient with people, tolerant, and kind.

Make someone smile:

Making someone smile needs as little effort as complimenting on something about the person. "You look so pretty", "you have a beautiful smile", "I love your hair", "Nice shoes". These are little ways to light up a stranger's face. You never know how much difference you made to their day.

Showing Appreciation:

In a world full of entitled people, be different. Show people that their acts of kindness did not go unnoticed and you appreciate their efforts. A simple and genuine "thank you" to show gratitude, even if it is the bare minimum act of kindness. Leave your entitlement mentality at home and be grateful.

Another way of showing gratitude is leaving good reviews after a good customer service, or leaving tips for waitresses at restaurants. Showing appreciation for a work done encourages people to do better willingly.

Volunteering at a community service:

Community services are unpaid works done by people for the benefit of the community. Some examples of community service includes donating used books to the local library, painting park benches, cleaning up local parks and playground, donating old clothes to charity or foster homes, planting tress, etc.

Volunteering at a community service is sacrificing your time to do something that would benefit your community. We spend most of our time doing things for our benefit. Dedicating some of our time to helping others is a beautiful way to tell people that good people still exist.

Be Courteous:

Being courteous implies showing regard for others. Hold the door for the person behind you (regardless of gender), offer help to someone, give your seat to the pregnant lady or elderly person standing beside you in the bus, grab a grocery cart for the person behind you. These little acts do not demand much from the giver, but it goes a long way for the receiver.

Giving gifts:

You bypass a certain homeless guy or lady everyday on your way to work. Today is a chance for your to show an act of kindness to that stranger. Get them gifts of new clothes, shoes, pay for their hairdo, drop more cash than normal for them, give them some groceries. If you are reading this, it is a sign for you to do some charity work in the streets.

Spend time with kids in foster homes:

Dedicate a weekend to make these kids feel special and loved. Take them out to a park for fun rides, to the movies, or to a street food joint to have fun and create memories. You will leave them with a proof that there are still kind people in a world where self-centeredness has become the norm and they will be forever grateful to you.

Pay the bills of struggling families:

Most people living in rural areas struggle with footing their bills, could be rent, phone bills, water bills, or electricity bills. Offer to cover their bills for at least a month. You will help them save up more money for feeding. It wouldn't cost a fortune, and by doing that, you have become a blessing to people.

Volunteer in an Old People's Home:

Elderly people that live in Old People's Homes need companions, people to talk to and hang around with. Old people stay in retirement homes when they have no help around the house with chores. Volunteering in such facilities gives one ample opportunity to create impact in the lives of elderly people. The opportunity to learn about life from experienced people is an added advantage for the volunteer caregiver.

These are ten ways to show love to strangers. How else can one show love to strangers? Start today to spread positivity in the lives of those you come across!