Who is the kindest person you know? My bride Marcia comes to my mind. It seems if there is a hurt to be healed, a loneliness to be comforted, a joy to share, she is on the spot to the job. This little girl in Bolivia crawled up into Marcia’s lap during school lessons. What would you say she is thinking? What do you notice about the kind people in your life?
Have you noticed that people who are characterized by genuine kindness and goodness seem to have a beautiful life? The fruit of the spirit indicates we should demonstrate both kindness and goodness. They share a lot of the same qualities: both are selfless, both extend good to another, both are generally given without anything expected in turn.
I generally think of kindness as those things we DO that doesn’t expect anything in return that involve a personal and intimate touch. For example, you have probably heard of and perhaps participated in random (better yet REGULAR) acts of kindness. Maybe you paid for the fast food takeout of the person in the car before you, or the entrance ticket for a stranger in line behind you. Maybe you have wiped the snow and ice off a car in the parking lot when no one expected, or simply held the door open for an approaching stranger at the store.
Reaching out to a particular person in need may be more reflective of a kind nature whereas writing a check to support needy children may be an act of goodness. You see in this case goodness also acts, but it is generally motivated by standing up for what is right, for fighting a worthy cause, for being virtuous. Kindness often does good things but goodness often goes to a deeper level of solving injustices.
I remember Larry Thorson talking about “sandpaper people,” you know those people that naturally just rub you raw. He talked about the virtues of extending goodness to these people because sometimes God intends for them to smooth out some of your own rough edges. (And by the way, YOU are sandpaper people to some people, and so am I.) goodness would approach these people instead of always walking away, praying for (or WITH) them instead of gossiping about them. Goodness is about doing the right thing when no one is watching.
What happens when each day you strive toward doing good in an increasingly wicked world? You bring light to darkness. And THAT makes for a beautiful life!
AMEN!
The Heartlight Quote meal for 04/08/2013
made me think of you. Hope you are feeling strong. Covering you in prayer. -Susan Ottsen “Those who keep speaking about the sun while walking under a cloudy sky are messengers of hope, the true saints of our day.” — Henri Nouwen -Susan
Thanks for the quote Susan! That is after all, the essence of faith isn’t it? Praising the Son even when We don’t see Him in our circumstances? – Bryan
Thanks for the reminder, Bryan. And thanks for bringing back a feeling, the very essence of
how I was drawn to Marcia right from the start…sweet memories. Have a Blessed day.
That Sandpaper people message from Larry Thorson left a lasting impression on me! It was a great lesson. I think of it when people rub me the wrong way and wonder who I am rubbing the wrong way. Thank goodness for God’s grace!
This entry has stayed with me all day. I try each day to do some sort of “regular” act of kindness. It is when I reflect on the things that others do for me each day to make me smile that I realize just how the simplest things can brighten a person’s day. A grand gesture could be as easy as let the mom with her 2 young children ahead in the grocery line, holding the door open for someone to enter a building, or NOT taking the closest parking spot when there isn’t any reason to walk a bit further. Even though these are things I just do because it makes me happy to do them, your post was such a good reminder to me about how these acts do effect others and how we each have an impact on others’ lives throughout our busy day. In making our lives beautiful, it really does add beauty to other lives as well. Thank you so much for the reminder!
Love, Light, & Prayers,
Trish
Trish, thank you for your examples of practical and simple ways you Go Light YOUR World! What I FIRST noticed about you was this same encouraging spirit, which is positively “contagious” in the best sense of the word. 🙂 I’d be interested to hear from others…what simple gestures can you share for bringing light into darkness?