If you think people are kind, scroll through social media or spend a little time in traffic. From critical, hurtful comments to blaring horns and cars that crowd out lane changes, you quickly realize kindness is not an attribute many possess.
Years ago, I witnessed a lane change that resulted in a crash. The driver of one of the cars popped out of his vehicle almost before it stopped and began spouting a profusion of profanity at the offending driver. I recognized the profane spouter as a church leader. I’ve never forgotten that incident.
Kindness isn’t something that comes naturally for many of us. It is an attribute that must be cultivated.
Following are attributes of kindness:
Humility
If you think you’re humble, you’re probably not. Humility is an attribute cultivated between you and God. Through His coaching and prompting, we learn to think more of others than we do of ourselves. Developing humility is not a quick process. Everything about our human nature pushes for recognition and praise. Humility is a quiet molding of the heart and spirit that leads to acts of kindness.
Empathy and Compassion
Do you have the ability to feel and understand the needs and pain of others? Often, we are so absorbed with our own difficulties and challenges that we fail to recognize the struggles of others. In developing empathy and compassion, you learn to see and listen to others, and then support and encourage.
Selflessness
Like humility, selflessness is a quality quietly cultivated. The ability to act in ways that aid others without expecting praise or reward in return is a concept many don’t understand or want to practice.
Patience
The definition of patience is the ability to act with restraint when confronted with strain or provocation; to accept obstacles or delays with calmness. Patience isn’t an easy attribute for most of us. We live in an impatient and unkind society. Patience requires intentionality and practice, which ultimately enhances forward motion.
Respectfulness
Respect occurs when you treat others with dignity no matter what their life situation or social standing. Throughout history, prejudice has existed. Races and social classes have been treated disrespectfully, even despised. Where disrespect exists, kindness is absent.
Kindness in Action
A Jew going on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, and beat him up and left him lying half dead beside the road. By chance a Jewish priest came along; and when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Jewish Temple-assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but then went on.
But a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw him, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his donkey and walked along beside him till they came to an inn, where he nursed him through the night. The next day he handed the innkeeper two twenty-dollar bills and told him to take care of the man. “If his bill runs higher than that,” he said, “I’ll pay the difference the next time I am here.” (Luke 10:30-35 LB).
The Biblical story of the Good Samaritan underscores respect, empathy, compassion, selflessness, humility, and even patience. Understanding how far beyond the norm the Samaritan’s actions were comes with the backstory that Jews and Samaritans had nothing to do with each other. Yet, in this case, kindness won.
Are you kind? Ask God to help you work toward becoming a person for whom kindness is second nature.
“Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32 MSG).
“He who follows what is right and loving and kind finds life, right-standing with God and honor” (Proverbs 21:21 NLV).
Ask God to help you work toward becoming a person for whom kindness is second nature.
©CandyArrington
Candy Arrington is an award-winning writer, blogger, and speaker. She often writes on tough topics with a focus on moving through, and beyond, difficult life circumstances. Candy has written hundreds of articles, stories, and devotions published by numerous outlets including: Inspiration.org, Arisedaily.com, CBN.com, Healthgrades.com, Care.com, Focus on the Family, NextAvenue.org, CountryLiving.com, and Writer’s Digest. Candy’s books include Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well (Bold Vision Books), When Your Aging Parent Needs Care (Harvest House), and AFTERSHOCK: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide (B&H Publishing Group).
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