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Day Three: Be Brave, Be Kind

It happened to me the other day when my attempt to offer a hand up to a stranger was met with a lovely barrage of how my help wasn’t needed or wanted. It was even topped off with a few expletive-laden directions on where I could go. I’m not going to lie; those words stung. But thankfully mercy was close by, standing ready to gently diffuse my defensive response with compassionate reminders of the hurt that must be a part of that person’s world. 

Soul-wounds were visibly apparent in the crusty wall he had built to insulate and isolate himself. My heart broke as mercy flooded the entire situation. And my attempted act of kindness morphed from a meal to a gentle response filled with understanding (to the best of my ability), respect, and prayer that he might someday know his value and worth.

In offering kindness simply to be kind, with nothing to get in return, we put ourselves out there. An offering of kindness may be as far as we get. But even an offer is something. 

All acts of kindness, whether received or rejected, are courageous and can change the world. Because at the core, when fueled by gratitude and buttressed by compassion, caring for another human is powerful. Such actions hold the type of power that moves mountains. It’s the type of power that is a double-edged sword, cutting both ways—not harming but leveling barriers and inviting peace for all the parties involved.

How interesting to learn that strategic kindness, which expects something in return (eyes on me), only goes so far. But altruistic kindness, with eyes off ourselves and onto others, packs a much more significant punch.

We can get so caught up in rudeness, thinking it rules the world these days, especially since it grabs most headlines. But on the whole, people are nice. Regular people, far from famous, driving next to us, living normal days lined with good and bad, are nice. And in nice people, kindness abounds.

Physically we flourish when we are kind. Not only is practicing kindness worth a try but daily exercise can form a habit and become second nature. This healthy practice was heralded by Christ as part of the greatest commandments. He didn’t tout it as another task to do in order to live up to expectations or as a shaming indictment but as an on-ramp to joy and peace.

Where have you practiced bravery to exhibit kindness? What happened?