Recently, our family witnessed some seeds of un-kindess sown towards others. It amazed me at how the ripple effect of the unthoughtful act sadly affected the two families involved- those who were unkind and those who were hurt. Everyone felt upset, all feelings were bruised and at the end of the day, it all stemmed from an act that could have been sprinkled with a bit of sweet kindness.
But all of this made me pause and look at … myself.
We are quick to judge, questioning people’s actions and motives, but then I was truly humbled as the Lord showed me areas in my life where I am, sadly, unkind. I want to be remembered as a mother who was kind, gentle and not harsh. And that is a character trait I must work on.
Sometimes, my reaction to my children when they spill their milk or drop an egg on the way in from the hen house is too sharp … or perhaps it is my actions lacking mercy towards my husband when he forgets to tell me he’s working late and we sit waiting at the dinner table … if we cannot be kind and loving to our own family members, then we are hypocrites just the same.
If we are rude to little children when they make a mess in your kitchen and litter your floor with hundreds of crumbs, but then smile and show kindness to your friend who comes to visit for tea, is that not hypocrisy?
Charlotte Mason writes:
“The office of Kindness is simply to make everyday life pleasant and comfortable to others, whether the other be our pets which we feed and attend to, our dog which we play with and take for a scamper, our house which we feed and care for, but cheer and encourage with friendly hand and friendly word, or our family and neighbours, rich and poor, who offer a large field for our Kindness. The kind person is … called courteous or thoughtful, obliging or considerate, showing kindness by refraining or speaking by his manner, his regard, his words, his acts.
The essence of the acts of kindness is that they should be unremembered. Let us beware that we do not say to ourselves, ‘I have done this and that for so-and-so and now see how he serves me!’ Kindness is simple.”
I wonder if most of our conflicts in life come from being unkind?
Sometimes it is the other party being unkind to us. It is hard to react gently in a situation where you are being treated wrong, but it is Biblical.
Right now, we’re memorizing a chapter in Romans for school. The Bible is so practical! The one verse that we are memorizing comes to my mind:
“Let love be without hypocrisy … abhor what is evil.
Cling to what is good.
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love,
in honor giving preference to one another …
Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse …
repay no one evil for evil.
Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
If it is possible, as much as depends on you,
live peaceably with all men.”
Romans 12
I suppose this week we are putting this into literal practice, living out what we are learning. I am humbled to have this brought to my attention and am going to guard my actions and re-actions closely to as to not react with unkindness in such situations.
by Gigi
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