Spread a little kindness today

Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough. (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you. (Proverbs 11:17 NLT)

While pondering all the ups and downs of life right now, grocery prices rising, fuel costs skyrocketing, and tensions building nation against nation, it might be hard to see much 'kindness' coming through at times. A nation built on kindness is one sure to be blessed by God. A people who binds together, seeing the needs of those around them, working hard to meet those needs to the best of their ability - this is what God must desire. Those with a hunger they cannot identify might just be spiritually hungry, looking to others to find what it is they are 'missing' in their lives. Wouldn't it be God's greatest joy to have them find the 'missing' part of their lives by seeing Jesus in us and then desiring that same relationship themselves?

We can draw in during tough times, or we can reach outside of what might be described as our 'comfort zone' and begin to meet the needs of those around us. They might be 'practical needs', such as clothing or food. They could be relationship needs, hunger for a genuine friendship so deep that the longing to just 'belong' drives them. They could be spiritual needs, knowing something is 'missing' from their lives, but not even realizing they have been trying to fill the gap inside with everything else but Jesus. Regardless of the need, we can become instruments of God's blessing if we just listen, observe, and then put 'feet' to our faith. The inaction of a nation can result in the fall of that nation - especially when it comes to meeting the needs of those who hunger and thirst.

As Roosevelt said so well, we are never 'weakened' by showing kindness. We are never 'stronger' than when we allow Jesus to shine through our lives. We are never more 'Christ-like' than when we are serving others as he would have us to serve. We aren't always 'gifted' to just be 'charitable' in our finances. Sometimes God asks us to put 'feet' to the 'charity'. That could mean serving at a soup kitchen, seeing that the homeless are bathed and clothed, or helping those without work find gainful employment. Regardless of who God brings across our path today, we should be sensitive to their needs. None of us walks this earth without some form of 'unmet need'. It could be we just need a warm hug, a tender smile, and a listening ear. 

Kindness doesn't need to 'cost' us 'big bucks' or 'tons of time'. It could be that we simply smile at the child in the checkout line, ask them about their toy, and give them a little distraction while mom checks out at the register. Kindness can be very simple - but it can be a huge blessing! Just sayin...