KINDNESS...

Be kind to one another… Ephesians 4:32(a) RSV Love is patient and kind… 1 Corinthians 13:4 RSV An elderly man fought back tears as he told me about the kindness of Christian friends during his recent stay in hospital. Someone had brought his wife to see him every day. A neighbour mowed the grass and weeded the garden. A group from the church had cleaned the house and prepared it for winter. Another touching story about a small act of kindness was related by a Christian lady who has lived in an old age home for several years. She said that one day a friend who was going to the country to buy some strawberries stopped by and invited her to go along. They drove past several places that brought back fond memories to her, and they browsed at a fruit and vegetable stand. Later she wrote: “It would be difficult for anyone to under-stand the thrill of just buying a tomato! It took so little, but it did so much to make me happy!” Stories like these make me feel good inside. So does reading about David's kindness to Jonathan's handicapped son, Mephibosheth. But I'm afraid we often forget the importance of being kind to one another. We speak harsh and unloving words and run roughshod over people's feelings. We get so busy with our own selfish pursuits that we forget the needs of others. How unchristian! Let's ask God to help us change our pattern of life. Remember, small and seemingly unimportant acts of thoughtfulness can lift the spirits of people who are lonely, brokenhearted, and discouraged. And these little kindnesses please God. Kindness is a living guide that shows us how to live; A treasue which the more we spend the more we have to give. Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see. [Our Daily Bread, August 1981]