Being Kind Should Matter To Everyone
[blockquote3]Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32[/blockquote3] The world is a hard place to live in. There are many cruel people. There are people who think nothing of how you feel when they speak. There are people who care only about what they can personally gain rather than what is morally good. Yet, God calls us to be kind because that is one area in our lives where we can make a difference in this harsh world. Kindness overcomes the cruelty we see.
Why Being Kindhearted Is So Important Today
Being kindhearted, which means being kind by nature not just once in a while, means to give the world hope.
The newspapers, TV, Internet, and billboards are mostly made up of enticing ads, cringe-worthy news, sad stories, and goriness that didn’t exist in public media 30 years ago. Children are becoming numb to evil because it is presented in a way that is “cool” and chic even if it means hurting others.
A sequel movie was released a few months ago about 2 cops who had to go undercover to investigate drug dealers in school. The first movie was funny with a few bad words so many people assumed that the sequel would be similar. But it wasn’t – it took the presence of evil in the first movie and spread it. The script (or ad lib) was peppered with curse words and many found it funny and normal just the same. Being kind is not cursing others – even as a joke or as friendly banter. And that’s point number 1.
The second point is: not being kind opens your heart to evil. Not being kind is being mean, as kids would say. There are many people outside the church just waiting to bring you down; to tear you apart so you can become “one of them” – conformed to their ways and mannerisms.
A third reason why kindness is critical to your walk with the Lord is the positive vibe you get with being kind to yourself and to others. Do you know the famous debate about a glass half empty or half full? If you’re kindhearted in spirit and action, you will always see a glass half full! This means you know and accept that you are blessed – and this changes your perspective about the world.
Finally, being kind will allow you to be happy because helping others is uplifting. It really will make you feel better and turn a bad day around. Of course, there are people who will reject your acts of kindness, but don’t worry. The impact of your kind act resonates and will be remembered if not by that person, most certainly by God. And if anyone tries to repay your kindness with an unkind act, it’s not a reflection of who you are but says a lot about the other person. It could even be a cry for attention or help. Don’t let it get you down. See it as a sign that your act of kindness hit a sensitive spot and that the person is not immune to your acts of kindness.
