Randon Acts of Kindness are much talked about, paying it forward and just generally being a harmonious person could be considered kindness, but do I actively seek out being kind? As a teacher I have found that I respond to my students with compassion and kindness, as a human I am generally pretty nice, but where would this put me on the kindness scale, were there such a thing? I love the idea of acts of kindness and by no means think we should dismiss or stop it, quite the contrary, I think we should actively seek opportunities to be kind frequently. But more than this, the talk I went to challenged me and reminded me once again of my belief that kindness is not weakness. It is strength, it is courage, it is downright scary bravery. Dictionary defintions of kindness include being friendly, generous and considerate, but this hardly does the word any justice. I think most of us fit this loose kindness mould. So what was so challenging? Well, kindness should be something that pushes us out of our comfort zone, something we show to all people, not just those we like or like us back or can benefit us. Nope, we should be kind to everyone, to those who we dislike, to those who dislike us and even those who threaten our lives, families, homes, religion, culture, gender. Basically, it includes loving our enemies and more so, we should go out of our way to show them goodness, without expecting anything back. No expectations of rewards, acknowledgement, just sincere, unselfish kindness. This is kindness in it's raw, extreme form. Genuine, unconditional, no strings attached. Kindness goes beyond the confines of expectations, it is a serious choice, a choice to defy what society says, even to defy our own harsh opinions, our own hurts and resentments and those things that threaten us. To be kind is to rise above and this kind of rising is not easy. Not at all.
Our society is riddled with hostility, intolerance, selfishness, violence and entitlement. I don't know about you, but I have let these harsh realities influence my perspectives and interactions with the world. I choose kindness, but I choose it on my terms. I choose who I want to be kind to. The talk I attended challenged me, because it urged me to see that kindness is meant to be unconventional, courageous and extreme. It's about keeping on being kind, even when people don't change, it's about loving those considered 'unloveable' and not being brainwashed by the media or negative influences surrounding us. Being kind is about looking at the bigger picture; beyond my little bubble. It is selfless, accepting and non-judgmental. This talk on kindness by Robyn Bain challenged me even more as a Christian. She reminded me that the more I know God's kindness, the more I can truly understand my application of it in a world that concerns itself more with justice than gentleness. It is up to me to seek out God's kindness to me. I am loved, despite having been an enemy of Jesus, He proactively and unconditionally loves me. This extreme kindness is what I want to aspire to. I feel convicted of my 'shallow' view of kindness, kindness that has clauses and fineprint.
This inspiration is a timely reminder that I need to take myself out of the picture and put the world before me into the shot. Do to others as you would have them do to you, even if you know they won't. It is not about justice or acknowledgement. Kindness disarms. Kindness is universal, it speaks all languages, extends over all generations, cultures, genders, nationalities. Don't let anyone tell you that kindness is a sign of weakness. It is actually a sign of great strength, and even more so when our world is threatened, yet we continue to choose kindness.
Join me in the challenge to fully know kindness, to understand true kindness and to show kindness without limits. Hold me accountable.
If you are interested in reading more about kindness in the Bible may I encourage you to read Luke chapter 6 verse 27 -36 and Romans 5 verse 6 -10.
The verses are below:
Love for Enemies (Luke chapter 6 verse 27 -36)
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
God has been kind first - Romans 5:6-10
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
