When it comes to impacting our world, kindness doesn’t strike me as the main tool of choice. Healing – Yes! Generosity – Yes! Prayer – Yes! Kindness to me felt like the fourth musketeer who didn’t quite make the cut. Or the apple bulks up the salad and left over as everyone else has somehow managed to scoop up the melon, the grapes and the oranges. It is like the nail file in the Swiss army knife. With so many better and more useful tools available in the Swiss Army knife – blades, screwdrivers, can opener, compass, scissors…the nail file seems like an afterthought. Kindness is like the nail file. I can’t see McGyver or the army specifically requesting the model with the nail file!
Kindness seemed to me to be pretty ordinary, rather nondescript. But when I really thought about it, kindness is remarkable, it is inspiring and it is strong. Kindness is within the grasp and capability of each on of us.
It is more of the heavyweight than I first believed. The demonstration of kindness can literally change the lives of those around us.
All it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to nothing. Every person we meet has a set of scales going on between a bad day and great day, between evil and good, darkness and light. We can be the tipping point for the light. In fact we could be the only good thing in a person’s day. Being kind can make a huge difference to someone.
Jesus, time and time demonstrated kindness while He walked the earth. Kindness when He spoke to the Samaritan Woman, kindness to the woman caught in adultery, kindness to the children who wanted to be with him. Kindness to Peter after he denied him. Kindness.
Kindness is an outworking of the love of God in our lives. It is love in action.
I don’t think we realize how many people walk among us every day who feel lonely or insignificant and have had little or no experience with unconditional love or kindness. They are not accustomed to receiving anything they have not earned or deserved or being treated with dignity. Being kind for no other reason but to demonstrate God’s love is a great way to bless someone.
All you have to do is what is in your hand to do. Fill the copier with paper at work, bake those muffins for the new neighbour, sit with that lonely friend, or shout that person going thru a hard time with even just a coffee. Just do something.
Do what is within your capability.
At my boys’ school, part of the school values is “I CARE” . No it’s not an apple product. But a commitment of a school to be a caring one. At the opening address by the School Principal she challenged the children to live this. To show that they cared for those around them. And by each one doing that the school would become a better school, Auckland a better city. And that each child had the opportunity to make the world a better place. A big challenge for a lot of little children but an admirable one too. It begins with one.
Who is the hungry heart in your life? What you do may feel small. It may feel unseen. It may feel insignificant, but it matters. It’s noticed by the one who said, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly know.
I see kindness in action everyday. I see it when a co-worker pauses to offer a kind word to someone having a hard day—a little morsel of encouragement that’s gobbled up with gratitude. I see it when my friend wraps her arms around her oh-so-tired little one and sees past the crankiness to the silent request for comfort and rest. I see it when a stranger on the street flashes a smile like an unexpected bit of chocolate tossed my way or a shot of caffeine.
Ask yourself: Have you been kind today? Make kindness part of your way of life & change your world.
Your act of kindness can turn someones bad day into a good day! A great day! An unexpected day.
Blue Skies & Lollipops 