Kindness is multiplied when it is given at a difficult time. I vividly remember the kindness shown to me when my father died, or when my marriage failed.
‘Be kind’… is that ever the wrong thing to do? Kindness is both gentle and powerful at the same time.
Recently I had the opportunity to speak to a seniors group at a local church. God has called me to share some of the story of my battle with mental health, along with my testimony of how my faith helps me.
I don’t take these speaking engagements lightly. These people are stuck with me for 20-30 minutes (unless they have the nerve to stand up and leave!). I am determined to respect their time and attention and make each word count. I try to be kind to them and by sitting politely and listening to me, they are being kind to me. Kindness reciprocated is wonderful.
Sometimes I hand out a flyer like the one shown above. Many have said they kept it on their fridge. And I try to remember to tell people to not only be kind to others but also to themselves.
It is interesting being ‘the speaker’. You get an entirely different view of the room and you can see every face. I can’t interpret everything I see, I am not that clever. However, as their eyes are engaged with mine I wonder what is happening in each life. I wonder if they too suffer from depression. I wonder if it is helpful for me to talk about it openly or if it causes pain. But I try to be kind.
These speaking experiences make me wonder what each person is going through. I wonder if I said too much or too little. But I am only in control of what I say. I am not in control of the outcome. So I trust in the Lord. I am thankful for any positive feedback and look forward to the next time I get asked to speak.
We are all so fragile, aren’t we? Recently I went to a lovely birthday party for a friend who turned 65. The room was filled with a lot of other people who were around that age too. There was a lot of grey hair! I wondered what each person had experienced over their lives. I wondered what struggles, disappointments, tragedies, or illnesses they might have endured. I wondered if they were stronger as a result or if the pain of living had worn them down.
I wondered what happened to their hopes and their dreams. I would have loved to interview each person there to find out.
Some of my own hopes and dreams have been fulfilled. Some of the trials God has allowed me to experience I would not have volunteered for. But some of the wonderful things that happened I could not have imagined. My life has had surprises both good and bad. You could probably say the same.
The greatest event of my life was the day I realized that Jesus really was the son of God. That very day I asked Jesus into my heart and became a Christian. I have never looked back. It has not been an easy life but it is the best life I could imagine. I have God, the one and only true living God, behind me no matter what. I can talk to him, God, whenever I want. I have the comfort of his companionship and the shelter of his love, all the time. Most of all I have hope, always hope, that no matter what happens, no matter what changes in my life, God never changes.
Hebrews 18:3 says ‘Jesus is the same yesterday, today and always’. My Bible tells me so.
As I eagerly await the publication of my little devotional, My Bible Tells Me So, I wonder what impact it will have. I wonder how my words will be received. But it is in God’s hands now. I have done my part. I have answered his call and it has been a wonderful journey.
How about you? Is God calling you? Is he calling you to ask Jesus into your heart and become a Christian? Is he calling you to some specific action or project? Or is he calling you to forgive someone, or help someone, or show his love to someone?
Or is he just calling us to be kind? It’s easy to do.
God’s job is to call us. Our job is to answer.
And he is always calling us to be kind, to ourselves and to others.
