Photo by Duffy Brook
Just like salt, when you show a little kindness, it goes a long way. Sometimes we may not feel up to the mark and may even make excuses for putting in the effort for doing a good deed for others. When we step out of our comfort zone and show a little kindness, with no strings attached, we will be amazed how that simple act can snowball into something so rewarding.
Sometimes unexpected moments can be the moments that take our breath away. Many people find a break in their routine irksome and react in less than kind ways. When all things are considered, the stuff we do in our daily grind are often a means to an end; they are not rewarding in themselves. Yet wittingly or unwittingly, we pass the days of our lives doing them anyway.
‘Live a life!’ is what is often said but sadly, how many people are doing just that. That ‘pie in the sky’ may be snatched by another before we finally reach out for it. Recently in my travels to Europe, I encountered a man so desperate to share his heartfelt burden. Even though I don’t speak Spanish, he was insistent on communicating through his broken English. At first I was amused then later annoyed when he wouldn’t stop talking and finally relieved that he did talk to me. Like a pressure cooker valve, he had to release the tension boiling within his heart. His wife was dying and he was making his final trip to her. I was thankful I was positioned there to listen to him and share those moments in his life’s journey.
The human heart yearns for something deeper than words; it yearns for a soul connection. No amount of technology can replace a little bit of human tenderness. Ask anybody living in an aged care facility and they will give you deep insights into the depths of loneliness. We can be surrounded by people and programs but if that soul reaching mechanism is not there, it is like a loose wire on your computer; no matter how expensive the machine, it simply won’t work.
Just a little bit of kindness can go a long way in restoring, renewing and flavouring our life. Put away your pretenses of a ‘busy’ life and go out and live a life! When all is said and done, it is not how many reality TV shows you watched or how much God Channel you viewed that people will remember you by. Instead, it is how many souls you touched and how many lives were impacted by your little acts of kindness.
Matthew 25:40b (ESV) says, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Your acts of kindness do not go unnoticed. God sees and He rewards accordingly. ◊
Linda Pearl
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