Ministers like Pastor John Wagner of Lubbock, Texas, often urge their congregations to do kind and generous services for others in the community. New research suggests that when attendees at Turning Point Community Church take Pastor John Wagner’s advice, they may actually improve their own physical and mental health. Scientists studied the effects of kind actions on subjects’ happiness levels and overall health. They discovered that small acts of kindness confer big rewards.
Every positive action a person performs causes positive thoughts, the researchers explained. These thoughts, in turn, result in happiness and healthy behaviors that affect overall well-being. In essence, human beings are hardwired to be happier when they love their neighbors. The scientists also found that people who counted their blessings at least once a week were happier and that people should vary the kind actions they perform for others. They plan to do further research to pinpoint exactly why kindnesses confer benefits on the giver as well as the receiver. For ministers such as Pastor John Wagner, however, the research just confirms what they have known all along: man was created to love God and his neighbors.
Every positive action a person performs causes positive thoughts, the researchers explained. These thoughts, in turn, result in happiness and healthy behaviors that affect overall well-being. In essence, human beings are hardwired to be happier when they love their neighbors. The scientists also found that people who counted their blessings at least once a week were happier and that people should vary the kind actions they perform for others. They plan to do further research to pinpoint exactly why kindnesses confer benefits on the giver as well as the receiver. For ministers such as Pastor John Wagner, however, the research just confirms what they have known all along: man was created to love God and his neighbors.