Spiritual Love Warrior

Showing kindness to others can be a challenge at times in our lives. Whether it’s with a parent, sibling, friend, coworker, or stranger, we have our limits.

Like a ripple in the water, one small act of kindness spreads out into the world.

Being nice and being kind are not the same thing. The difference is what’s in your heart. Being kind is to have caring in your heart.

This is where humanity fails as we lose ourselves in our technology, daily concerns with family, work, or money. We tend to distance ourselves from the woes of others.

Bible Quotes to Ponder

1 Samuel 20:14

But show me unfailing kindness like the LORD’s kindness as long as I live

2 Samuel 2:6

May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this

Ephesians 4:32

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Colossians 3:12

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience

Non-Biblical Quotes

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” -Mark Twain

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” -Princess Diana

“Focus on being a kind person every day for a month, make sure that nothing comes out of your mouth that is not kind, focus on having kind thoughts and watch how much your life changes.” Steve Williams

“Kindness and helping others will return to you when you least expect it, and maybe when you need it.” Catherine Pulsifer

It is the very nature of God to be filled with kindness and truth. Bill Vincent

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Aesop

My own personal experience is my relationship with my mother. She loves me, but doesn’t show it in the manner I need. She comes across critical instead of supporting. She has an opposing viewpoint rather than trying to see things from mine. Her kindness is not shown in a positive light, rather it hits me in a negative manner.  I don’t feel the love behind her words, I can only feel the judgment.  I become short tempered with her, and she doesn’t stop to think why I’m like this. She fails to understand how her words affects me. She may love me, but she’s not kind to me. Growing up, when something happened which made my upset, she would ask, “What did you do?” rather than, “What happened?”. See the difference? It’s difficult for me to spend prolonged periods of time with her, and I’m still working on how I respond to her actions. This is my homework, to change how I react.

My homework for you

Don’t let your negative moods or feelings affect others. Likewise, don’t let them affect you. Show kindness and compassion instead.  Think about the above quotes and bible verses and think back to your personal experiences. Were there times when you were nice but not kind to someone else? If you had the chance to experience the encounter again, what would you have done differently?

Remember, you don’t need a reason to help or be kind to someone.  Kindness is a strength of spirit, not a weakness of the soul.

Share your experiences with kindness in the comments below and how if affected you or the other person.