Ephesians 4:32-And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
What does it mean to be kind? I think kindness embodies a lot of different things. First, it is choosing love over hate. It is choosing silence over angry words. Kindness is spreading joy to others, giving compliments without being prompted, and extending grace to other people. Kindness is helping an elderly person carry grocery bags to their car. Kindness is seeing a classmate struggling and offering to help. Kindness is welcoming the new co-worker. Kindness is stopping to talk to someone who seems upset. Kindness is taking time for people around you, whether you know them or not. Kindness is giving of yourself and expecting nothing in return. In the world we live in, kindness has taken a backseat. But I believe kindness never goes out of style.
I'm getting tired of seeing, hearing, and/ or experiencing one person being hurt by another. Just choose kindness. How hard is that? You want to be like Jesus? Then start loving people. That’s what Jesus would do. When it's all said and done, actions as well as words, can hurt. People can tear each other own. If you expect to be treated with kindness, then maybe you need to change how you treat others. If we are going to teach these values to future generations, then why are we not setting a good example for them? You can talk about being kind and choosing kindness all you want, but when it’s your turn, how do you treat people? Just a little reminder: Always be kind. You never know what someone is facing or the impact you could have just by treating them with the same kindness you would like to be shown. The Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," still applies if you are an adult.
This is a challenge to us all, myself included. In my classroom, my #1 rule is: “Be kind.” My reason for this is, once children learn to be kind to others, everything else will follow. One of the most important social skills, I believe, is kindness. I have a kindness box in my classroom so students can write positive notes about someone they caught being kind each day. At the end of every month, I give out a kindness award to the student who goes above and beyond showing kindness. The truth is, even adults should celebrate random acts of kindness. What good does it do for us to tear each other down? If God is Love, then God is most certainly kind. Let’s love like Jesus does.
1 Cor. 13:4-Love is patient, love is kind...
1 John 4:7-Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.