So I am somewhat hesitantly picking up
thi s
post and running with it tonight. I’ve inadvertently been putting it off for weeks awhile now.
The word kindness has perpetually been in my mind for the past several days and the need to write about it has been nagging.
Annoyingly nagging.
Which probably means there’s something I need to think about.
I don’t think any of us are ever intentionally mean to others…ok, I take that back. There are bullies in the world who just love to be mean.
Sadly, I’ve encountered a few.
I don’t get people like that and I stopped trying long ago to understand them.
The only thing I can conclude is that they need Jesus.
But I’ m getting ahead of
myself.
So let me tell you a little story here that has to do with adorable, little Mel (approximately age 5) being not so nice to cute, little Becky (approximately age 4). (Becky, I hope you don’t mind that I’m telling this story. :D)
My two best friends growing up were sisters, Missy and Becky. We basically grew up together and remain best friends today. Their mom would babysit me and often they’d come over to my house, too, and one Sunday afternoon they came over to play after church. We usually played Barbies or with my Strawberry Shortcake dolls.
I remember that we started to argue over who got to play with Orange Blossom, the favorite doll among the three of us. Somehow Becky ended up with that one, and I wanted it.
I remember staring at her as she unassumingly giggled.
She really had no idea what I was thinking.
And then, it happened.
I punched her in the stomach.
We joke about it today, but I. got. in. BIG. trouble.
The funny thing is that I don’t even really know why I hit her…I just think I was annoyed with the fact that she had what I wanted.
There were consequences…I’m pretty sure I got sent to my room while Missy and Becky continued to play. And worse than that was how horrible I felt, even at the age of 5…ish. I had been mean to my best friend and hurt her feelings.
(But I didn’t really hurt her stomach…she told me that later.
:))
I have often thought back to that moment and realized that if
I had just thought about it for a minute, I never would have hit her.
And if I think about that now?
Well, I’ve grown up. I don’t go around hitting people anymore. 😉
But there are other ways to be unkind, to do damage.
And most often, it’s with our words.
I always have open-mouth-insert-foot moments. I know I am bad about speaking before I’ve fully processed the words about to come out of my mouth. It’s never intentional…but that doesn’t make it right.
Part of being kind is stopping to consider others’ feelings.
We saw the ultimate example of k indness
in Jesus. He lived a perfect life, walked among sinners, and loved them anyway. He loved them with his words and actions and ultimately, his sacrifice for us on the cross.
The least I can do is work on loving others with my actions and words.
I’m not perfect…and that has ever-so-in-my-face been pointed out to me the past week or so. But when I know there’s something I should be working on…well, I should do it.
Father, guard my actions and my tongue…help me to show kindness in the way I treat others and speak to them.
P.S. And a little treat for ya all…the three amigos from about the year 1987, give or take.
Aren’t we so cute? (And I am such a dork…in an equally dorky outfit. ;)) Here’s to happy memories. I love these girls!
Kindness. Hmmm. So easy to say we want to be kind. So hard to actually work it out of ourselves.
Circa 1987? Mel, I would have graduated in 1987. I feel old.
And your dorky outfit? I LOVE dorky outfits!