On this third week of 2015, millions across the world will be polishing their resolutions to make improvements in their health, finances and habits, in hopes of doing a myriad of things differently.
This odd ritual is as close as we get, in a world gone crazy, to do-overs.
There is a pastor in town at a super big church who encourages his flock each year to choose one word to chew on, study, basically immerse themselves in all year long.
Last year, my word, even though I am not a part of his flock, was humility. History, my friends and coworkers are the barometer on how well I embraced 2014’s word. Although, as I move on to a new word, that one is still very much with me.
The word I am taking on this year is kindness.
My question to you, is kindness overrated?
What exactly is kindness, anyway?
Kindness is defined in dictionaries as the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate. Synonyms are kindliness, kindheartedness, warm heartedness, gentleness, concern, care, consideration, thoughtfulness, unselfishness, selflessness, altruism, generosity, magnanimity, charitableness, big-heartedness.
Christians around the globe know it as a fruit of the Spirit as well; it is the fifth after love, joy, peace, and patience (kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against these things there is no law) Gal. 5:22-23.
The Greek word for kindness is chrestotes. It means “benignity, tender concern, and uprightness.”
Aesop said, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
Mark Twain said, “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
My goal in implementing this word would be firmly putting the other person first. Rather than focusing on the circumstances, what is happening at that moment with me, my needs, focusing on my personal inconvenience, to focus on the other person, his/her moment in time. Booker T. Washington said, “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”
Imagine the world if we actually could do this.
People would not cut us off in traffic, but when they did, we wouldn’t be concerned for ourselves, but for them.
When the cashier is taking an inordinate amount of time to check us out, we would be thinking of a way to encourage him/her, rather than how little time we have and all we have to accomplish.
When someone treats us rudely, we respond in, dare I say it — love — versus irritation. “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless,” Mother Teresa said.
Kindness is, “Yes, I am late, but let me stop and help do that for you, I can see you are struggling.”
Kindness is when a member of our team jumps up from a staff meeting to dash outside in the bitter cold in shirt sleeves to make sure everyone involved in a fender bender is ok and staying out until the lady stuck behind the accident can get safely back into the new stream of traffic.
Kindness is stopping, even though late, to see if those people walking at 7:30 a.m. on a 20-degree day could be homeless, in need of a hot meal.
Kindness can be magnified when a smile is attached, and hugs are a kindness accelerator. My beloved last pastor and friend, due in town this weekend, gives the best hugs in the world; I simply can’t wait to be enveloped in one.
You may never know when the person in front of you last experienced a hug or what a difference it might make to him/her. Sometimes your hug may be the only one that person receives this day, this week, this month. Imagine it.
Kindness can be magnified by a gift of well-placed cash. This doesn’t mean a big altruistic gift, although those are awesome; I am not speaking of mega dollars, but more like the cost of a modest dinner out or even that daily latte.
Signal the cashier you want to pay anonymously for the elderly woman’s scanty pile of groceries next time you find yourself in the checkout line behind her. Or treat the poorly dressed smelly guy in line at Mickey D’s to his meal, if you frequent fast food. I guarantee, once accomplished, you will be smiling to yourself.
I read something a week or more ago in the daily that talked about scarves, many hand knitted, tied at strategic points in the downtown Wilmington area when the temp sank into life threatening. Those who might be out without shelter were free to take them. That was kindness.
Last weekend I saw an over-extended hospital RN named Teresa downgrade her pace to very slow motion, with a big smile and soft touch, to make a pain-wracked patient as comfortable as possible. It still brings tears to my eyes.
John Hickenlooper, the incoming governor of Colorado, in his inaugural address Tuesday called for a “random acts of kindness campaign,” asking Coloradans to perform 10,000 random acts of kindness by mid-July.
And on January 8, a Chick-Fil-A owner in Birmingham, Alabama, confirmed why this chain is so loved. A patron of the store posted on Facebook what happened after a man walked into the store in 35 degree weather to inquire if there was anything he could do to earn a little food. He appeared to be homeless.
Here’s is a portion of what the woman posted:
“Most businesses would force him out but I watched as the manager walked up to him and asked if he could do anything for him. Before the man could even answer, the manager asked if he had a pair of gloves and walked to the table at which he’d been sitting and picked up his own. As he handed the man his gloves, he asked another employee to get him something to eat. It was wonderful to see your employees being the hands and feet of Jesus, and that my son was able to witness it all. Thank you for putting your money where your mouth is.”
Read more by Googling “Chick-Fil-A kindness act goes viral.”
Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week is February 9-15. There is even a website dedicated to suggesting how people can engage in random acts of kindness.
Let it begin with you.
