Kindness- Make it contagious.

I sit silent in this room alone, yet there are several people around me.

I’m looking at each person, noticing the way they smile, the way they move, the way they laugh. Their confidence is beautiful.

I can see so much beauty in others, and struggle to see the beauty in myself.

But then I am reminded that beauty is not about outward appearances.

Being kind is beautiful, I used to always be kind. Smiling at strangers, holding doors for others.

I look back at the younger me in photos and I see a bright smile, a friendly personality, but mostly a kind heart. And I think, have I allowed this world to change me? 

I ponder that and things come to mind, like the time I mentioned to a lady at the grocery store how “pretty she looked in her red coat”. She looked at me like I was a weirdo and walked away. The time I was at the park and a mom was struggling with an upset child, she looked up making eye contact with me, so I smiled and said “Don’t feel bad, I’ve been there.”

If looks could kill I’d be dead. As she yanked her child harder by the arm pulling them off the slide glaring at me. 

People no longer recognize kindness.

The world has changed so much that kindness is sometimes met with confusion. The older woman in the coat could have smiled and said thank you, instead she looked afraid of me. The young mom at the park could have taken a breath and felt the comfort I was offering as one who was not judging her, but understood exactly how she was feeling in that moment.

I, sadly, have several of these moments where I offered kindness but my kindness was met with detestation. 

I’ve recently noticed that while out in public, I will wish to give a compliment but I stay silent. I used to be one that started up conversations in the grocery line with total strangers, but now I hold back. 

Am I letting the world silence me?

Ephesians 4:32 begins with “be KIND and compassionate to one another.”

Colossians 3:12, “put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, KINDNESS, humility , meekness and patience.”

I have two little Granddaughters, they are 4 and 5 years old, and I tell them “be kind”. 

I cannot teach them to follow Jesus and be like Jesus if I’m not showing them how to BE KIND. Jesus was kind to his enemies , to the lepers. Jesus was beyond kind when he took up our cross of sin and shame and died for us.

Nah, I’m not letting this world stop me from showing kindness. Starting today, I won’t hold back any longer, I am going back to letting kindness flow from me.

I am sure Jesus got some odd looks as he performed miracles, but it didn’t stop him. He had some people that shook their heads and walked away I’m sure thinking he was crazy when he was kind to the leper, but he continued to touch and heal them.

The Bible says in Matthew 7:12, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” 

The golden rule always taught to children, hmmm, “do onto others as you would have done to you.” 

I know I sure could use a compliment or a kind word sometimes.

If I am to teach my grandchildren to be like Jesus , then I must always be kind. We all feel better when shown kindness , especially unexpected, from a stranger, kindness. Be that person, ignore the scoffs and side eye looks, give the compliment anyways , be kind anyways. Don’t let the world silence you.

In Love & Kindness,

Be Blessed!

The Happy Farmwife

Added note: a total stranger offered to pray for me recently after hearing I had some oral surgery, it warned my heart such an offer from a stranger 🥰

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