At school this year kindness is a big push for me. I feel like I tell my teenagers about 100 times a day to "Be Nice". I know this is normal and I know that most of the time they don't mean it, but so much of my day is spent hearing them say ugly things to each other so I have adopted a new mantra. "Be nice." The children ask me why I say that so often, and its because kindness matters. If after these 180 days that these students and I spend together if one of them adopts a conscience of my voice inside their head telling them to be nice, and it affects even one deed in their life then it will be worth it.
I feel like kindness from others is one of those ways that we know that God is really there. I have two examples just from today. While I was st the grocery store today and I was trying to load up all my groceries in the car while my one year old sat in the car screaming bloody murder I noticed an older gentleman across the aisle from us looking our way. I smiled politely. Then he went to return his buggy and the buggy return was right next to my car. As he walks towards us he says to me "I never understood how hard women had it until I retired, but all of this is hard work." That gentleman will probably never know that his words soothed my heart and my nerves. I also firmly believe that he spoke those kind and understanding words to me while my child just screamed because it was Jesus' love bubbling up out of that man's heart. That man could not have known what I needed to hear, but God did and he put that man in my life. The there example happened at church this morning. During the passing of the peace we were all greeting each other and one of the ladies who sits a couple rows in front of us came down my row to speak. She asked how I was doing and I said good, I asked her and she said the same even though I knew she had a rough week. Then she really looked at me and smiled and said well we are both here at least. Despite what either one of us said we both knew the other wasn't doing well but in that moment she shared a kindness with me. Even though she has so much more going on than I do she took that moment to really look at me and know I had things going on too. She made the gesture to let me know that she understood me. Kindness matters. Small gestures matter. Comforting words to a stranger matter.
You never really know the journey that someone else is walking and how much they could use just a few kind words. You never know how much someone could really use one of those moments when the kindness that stems from your heart reminds them that God is always there for them. These are the moments where I don't understand how people refuse to believe. God shows you all the time that He is there for you and He love you. I know He does to me.
Colossians 3:12-So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
Hebrews 13:2-Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
I know that I am no angel, but without that act of kindness fro a stranger my day could have turned out significantly differently today. Kindness matters.
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