Kindness is a powerful choice that reflects the fruit of the Holy Spirit and can quietly change lives, including your own.
There is power in great change through kindness. It is a gift to the world. And it is a choice to offer it freely or to let it remain hidden within the heart, never reaching anyone else. Today, let’s talk about being kind.
I got an early start one day last week and found myself at the grocery store before there were even ten cars in the parking lot. I like to arrive when the carts are neatly stacked and the deli line isn’t three deep.
Wandering down an empty aisle with that first cup of coffee in hand almost feels like a treat.
15 items or less
I didn’t have much to get, so I grabbed what I wanted and headed to the “15 items or less” checkout. I think I selected that line out of habit even though the other line was empty. But more than likely, it was my consistent side. If it says “15 items or less,” that’s exactly where I should be.
As I loaded my bar items onto the counter, I saw a sweet, very young man behind the register. He wore a crisp white shirt, a navy, white and purple striped tie and a shiny name tag that said Jason.
As he acknowledged me, I said, “Good morning, Jason.” He gave a small smile and looked up from under his black rimmed glasses.
A morning person
I am a morning person. I always was and probably always will be. I woke up ready to face the day.
Growing up, my household was very divided. My dad was a morning person. I can still picture him sitting at the kitchen table, sipping coffee and reading the paper coming down the stairs. Morning, darlin’! He would say in a cheerful southern voice.
My mother was not quite the same. She preferred to spend the day quietly, without much conversation or interaction. I think she grew to enjoy mornings when all the kids were out of the house. I wonder if that had something to do with it.
Dad and I will talk, laugh and solve the world’s problems together. It was something my mother could never understand.
Back in the 15-item or less aisle
But back to the grocery store.
As Jason scanned my things, I mentioned his tie. “Jason, that’s a very nice tie.”
He looked surprised, and then a slow, sweet smile spread across his face. “Thank you,” he said. Then he added, “I thought I should wear a tie when I come to work. I bought another one so I don’t have to wear the same tie every day.”
oh my god It was just about the sweetest thing. I wanted to hug him, but I thought that would be a bit much.
He asked if I knew how to get the wrinkles out of the top of his tie. I told him it looked fine and that relationships often do that. I also told him that when I was young, I went to a Scottish boarding school and wore a tie like him every day. That seemed to interest him, and since there was no one behind me, we talked for a while.
Then he said something I will never forget.
“You are very kind.”
Not everyone is kind
What a beautiful thing to say. And then he added, “Not everyone is kind.”
It caught me off guard.
“Well, shame on them if they’re not,” I said.
As I put my bag in the cart, he said quietly, “You’d be surprised how many people aren’t good at shopping. I guess that’s just the way things are.”
I left the shop feeling a little sad.
Sad that Jason, with his carefully chosen tie and kind spirit, has to spend his day being mistreated by people who pass through his line. It’s sad that people act this way. Sadness about what caused it. Sad that it is brushed off as normal.
I kept thinking about that moment and how easily mercy can be withheld.
Kindness is valuable. It is powerful. It has the ability to change someone’s day, and sometimes much more. Why is it often given so freely?
Where does mercy come from?
Satan is the ruler of this world, at least for now. I believe that everyone comes into this world broken because of sin. On our own, we cannot consistently choose mercy, especially when it requires sacrifice. I know this because I know my own heart, and I believe what the Bible says.
But God gives strength to live differently.
Here’s what Galatians says…
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23
Only when the Holy Spirit indwells us and we give Him control over our lives can we live a life of constant mercy.
It gives strength to live a godly life, no matter what the circumstances. And kindness becomes a visible part of life.
Jesus changes everything
I lived many years without Christ and without the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. Those years were marked by selfishness.
I can be kind when I feel like it. I could be cheerful when it was easy. But kindness was not a constant part of my life.
Now, there are still moments when I fall short. But I don’t live there. I can bounce back, reset my heart and carry on. And so can you.
Real power resides within every believer. The Holy Spirit helps us to live out mercy and all the fruits that come with it.
Live the life God created you for
Do you have the strength to live the life God created you to live? Are you becoming the person He made you to be?
Living with kindness, goodness and joy, there is a quiet strength even when life seems difficult. It changes the way a day unfolds. It changes the way people are treated. It changes hearts.
Let’s choose to live the life God has given us.
Here’s a verse to hold on to…
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and beloved, equip yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Col 3:12
