Kindness

Colossians 3:12-14 (NET) - Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.

It seems like everything has a special day, week or month set aside for it.

I stumbled across one some time back that I admit took me by surprise.

It seems that February 17^th has been designated “National Random Acts of Kindness Day”.

Other nations observe this on different days.

The day is reportedly gaining in popularity.

According to one observer: "It's just a day to celebrate kindness and the whole pay it forward mentality."

Don’t get me wrong, I certainly am not opposed to kindness.

The concept “Random Acts of Kindness” even sounds good on the surface.

But does the notion really stand up?

A person chooses to be kind in some way to a random person on that day.

That person recognizes this kindness.

In turn, he or she now somehow feels compelled to pay it forward to another.

This individual, in turn, somehow feels compelled to do the same.

On it goes until the world has become a better place.

Let’s be honest.

At best, the chain breaks down perhaps sooner than we would like to believe.

Even the concept of randomness depends on our choice.

Then the question becomes: “What happens on the next day?”

Has the need for kindness suddenly evaporated?

Christ reminds us to love our neighbors.

He also reminds us to love our enemies.

In short, we must extend kindness to everyone, every day.

We must even be kind to those who may not recognize it much less pay it forward.

The best way to make the world a better place is to make kindness and love a regular part of our Christian walk.

I was thinking about how best to wrap up my thoughts on this topic.

Perhaps the words I read on a church sign say it better than I can: “Act in such a way that would make others want to know Jesus.”

Now that will truly make a difference.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 11, 2018.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 18, 2018