On Kindness

Kindness

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
                                                                                                                Mark Twain
Do you show kindness to those around you. Do you show love even to those with whom you disagree and is that love sincere?
Paul writing to the Romans wrote,
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.  
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  
Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” 
                                                                                Romans 12:9-18
I’ve found where love and kindness is lacking hate can get a foothold. Love and kindness requires giving of one’s self.
A young Jewish girl named Anne Frank,  hiding from the Nazis in world war two Holland wrote this,
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can?  And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!  If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world.  Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible.  Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving!  No one has ever become poor from giving!”                                                                                                                                                      Anne Frank.
Anne Frank knew what hate was all about. She was in hiding from evil men that hated her because she was Jewish. Yet Anne could write the above words.
She doesn’t seem to have been bitter about things. Instead she probably seen the love and kindness offered to her by those who hid her and she seems to expounded on that rather than dwelling on the evil all around her.
Showing kindness is an important part of being Christian and there are a myriad of ways to show kindness to the people around us.
Kindness is handing a bottle of cold water to a homeless man on the street.
Kindness is helping an elderly neighbour on your street.
Kindness is giving what you can, when you can to help the less fortunate.
Kindness comes down to this,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” 
                      Matthew 7:12.
Think about it.