Kindness is nurturing and sustaining. As such, it is a fundamental and
indispensable human need. In one of William Shakespeare’s well known
plays, “Macbeth,” he writes about “the milk of human kindness.” As such, kindness
is, indeed, life-giving food for every soul.
In truth, mutual kindness is such an extraordinary gift – so blessed, so
beneficial – that none of us can maintain genuine peace of mind or find fulfillment
in its absence.
The Apostle Paul admonished the Church of
Ephesus, and by extension all future generations of Christians, “Be ye kind one
to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake
hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32) If
the entire world, especially those who profess relationships with Christ, would
pause for one moment before we speak
to make sure that our words are positive sources of healing and hope (not
weapons of anger or resentment), lasting peace among individuals, groups and
nations would be much easier to achieve.
Before Belinda and I married, we had what I
refer to as “The Talk.” We shared our life stories – the good, the
bad, the ugly – and then we made what is perhaps the most important pledge that
can undergird the divine covenant of marriage.
On that day, we vowed that, no matter what, we would treat each other
with mutual respect and kindness. It is an innate need that is so fundamental
and so powerful, that true kindness even trumps human sexuality. Think about it. Allow me to be transparent. It is not always easy to keep our
agreement. Marriage is hard work, no
matter what anyone says. Whenever
marriages encounter moments of frustration, upset, grief, anger, or
disappointment, it is so easy to revert to the carnality and pride that becomes
the opening pitch in ‘the blame game.’ That is why self-control is a key
component of “the fruit of the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
Question: Who do you and I need to forgive…to offer acceptance and kindness…before
the sun sets today?
Question: Whose flaws, failures, foibles and
fiascoes do you and I need to
“cover” with love, instead of exposing to pride, anger, rejection, or
indifference?
The Apostle Peter said it so eloquently and
succinctly: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude
of sins.” (I Peter 4:8, NIV) In the
Pauline epistles, we learn that true believers refuse to keep an active accounting
of the wrongdoings of others. Quite the
contrary; instead, we who are under the covenant of love, somehow learn to bear
all things, believe all things, hope all things and endure all things. (I Corinthians, chapter 13)
In your quest to
exemplify kindness, prayerfully consider the following gems of wisdom:
“Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt,
kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.”
-Albert Schweitzer
-Albert Schweitzer
My
own writing today has motivated me to make a phone call. I refuse to judge. I will not hold on to the past. I will forgive. I will love.
I will be kind. I will strive –
with all my body, soul and spirit – to become more and more like Jesus
Christ. Perhaps, you and I can humbly
approach the throne of God with this mutual prayer: “Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask
for Your forgiveness and for a lasting endowment of Your very essence – LOVE –
so that we may recognize our own faults and sins and so that we may be
genuinely loving, forgiving, open and kind to others. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
