Episode 138

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Published on:

17th Dec 2025

Anchor Points | Ep. 138 | When Your "Kindness" Is Actually Manipulation

Ever had someone do you a "favor" that was really just them getting what they wanted?

Like when someone takes your movie seat and acts like they're being generous by offering you a worse one?

That's not kindness. That's something else entirely.

Devin Almonte shares a hilarious (and convicting) story about reserved movie seats, manipulative "kindness," and the prayers we shouldn't actually pray. When someone sat in her carefully chosen seats and tried to spin it as doing her a favor, it revealed something we all do more than we'd like to admit.

We mask our self-interest as generosity. We bend situations to suit ourselves while wearing the costume of kindness. And sometimes, we even pray manipulative prayers asking God to punish people instead of seeking His heart.

In today's Anchor Point, Devin shares:

  • The movie seat incident that revealed manipulative kindness in action
  • How we disguise self-serving behavior as generosity
  • The difference between true Christmas kindness and fake kindness
  • Why our angry "prayers" for justice are often just disguised revenge requests

Scripture (NIV):

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 – "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking."

💬 Want to talk about it more?

Quick poll: Would you call out someone sitting in your reserved movie seat, or just take a different seat?

Bonus question: What's a time someone did you a "favor" that really wasn't a favor at all?

Let's get honest about the ways we mask our self-interest as generosity. 👉 Join the conversation in the InSight Out Community on Facebook.

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InSight Out
Clarity for your mind. Joy for your heart. Timeless biblical truth for everyday life. A Christian podcast offering devotionals, conversations, and encouragement to help you grow in faith and flourish in life.
Think, See, and Live Differently.
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About your host

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Devin Almonte

Devin Almonte is a broadcaster, journalist, and podcaster dedicated to media-driven discipleship. As the host of InSight Out and Encouraging Star Stories, she challenges audiences to think deeply about faith, culture, and purpose, offering clarity for the mind, joy for the heart, and truth for the times.

A Colson Fellow and graduate of the World Journalism Institute, Devin has written for The Stream and other outlets, integrating theology, worldview, and storytelling to address today’s pressing issues.

With a diverse background in business, broadcasting, film, commercial work, and media production, she has worked with companies like QVC, HSN, and Macy’s Merchandising Group in media, journalism, and product development. Her experience in storytelling, faith-based media, and on-screen work enables her to engage audiences in a way that is both thought-provoking and deeply relatable, inspiring a Christ-centered life.

Devin is also the founder of InSight Out Media, a faith-based company committed to media-driven discipleship, equipping people to see the world through a biblical lens and live out their faith with confidence.