Anyone who knows me well knows kindness is important to me. Even before kindness was the “in” thing and t-shirts and framed art with quotes about kindness flooded the market, I was sold on kindness. 
I believe it’s because, from the time I was a little girl, I’ve been very aware of the unkindness in the world. When I was younger, I was extremely shy and would just quietly observe people. Time after time, in different situations, I would see people being unkind; pushing others down when they knew they could get away with it. Even at a young age, this grieved me. I now realize that it was the Lord placing that compassion in my heart for those mistreated or abused.
As I entered my late teens and young adult years, that grief turned to anger and I grew out of my shyness. It became my unspoken mission to defend others and speak out when I saw them being treated unkindly. I wasn’t really walking with the Lord during this time, so although my heart was in the right place, my responses were not Godly. My tongue was sharp and quick in those days and most often I could silence a bestower of unkindness with just a few sentences. 
I can remember clearly, being on a line in 7 Eleven one day, and this lady was berating the man at the register. Apparently, he wasn’t moving fast enough for her. It was clear that the man was very embarrassed. I watched as everyone stood back and just allowed this lady to rip the guy apart. I started fuming and well…. after a few sharp statements from me, she was the one embarrassed and rushing out of the store. I’m not boasting about this behavior, because when I started walking with the Lord, I realized that my anger was meant to be a righteous anger that would compel me to combat these injustices with love and mercy.
We should never combat unkindness with more unkindness. As we can see when we look at the world around us, unkindness just spreads and makes the world an ugly place to live. The Bible tells us not to “return evil for evil (1 Peter 3:9, Romans 12:17).” Instead, as representatives of Christ, our lives should reflect His kindness in all situations. 
We may be the only Jesus someone sees and our responsibility is to accurately reflect Him. The Bible talks about kindness all throughout the Old and New Testament. First and foremost, it’s mentioned many times as an attribute of God. Kindness is one of the ways God expresses His love towards us. Sending Jesus, was His greatest act of kindness. We also see in Galatians 5:22-23 that kindness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit which means that the more filled we are with His Spirit, the more kindness will exude from us.
I was on the phone the other day for a business call. I needed help and the woman I was speaking to was being very sarcastic from the moment the conversation started. She really didn’t want to help me and made sure I knew it. It wasn’t very nice, but I chose to respond kindly again and again. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Because I chose to respond in kindness, the woman’s whole attitude changed. Kindness is contagious. 
When I got off the phone, I shared with my husband the transformation that took place. The woman went from not wanting to help me to go above and beyond to get me what I needed. And, before getting off the phone, she was wishing me a wonderful day! That conversation could have gone in a very different direction had I not responded kindly. In 1 Corinthians 13:4 we learn that kindness is a quality of love. Love is kind. So when we’re kind, we’re actually walking in God’s love towards others. There will always be times we’re challenged in our love walk. And sometimes our kindness won’t be reciprocated, but this is when we remind ourselves that we do what we do unto the Lord and not man.
Many people mistakenly think that they have to assert themselves in an aggressive or rude manner to be seen as strong or not be taken advantage of. This is an ungodly belief and often insecurity that stems from past hurts. The truth is, that being kind is NOT being weak. Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness.” Kindness is not weakness. 
In fact, it’s actually a strength, especially when someone is being unkind to you, because it’s choosing to crucify your flesh and respond from your spirit. In moments like these, kindness goes hand in hand with meekness. Jesus was described as meek and we know Jesus was anything but weak. Meekness is actually defined as “strength under control.” It may be gratifying to our flesh to put someone in their place when they’re being unkind, but that momentary satisfaction isn’t worth displeasing the Lord, nor possibly losing the opportunity to be a light and a testimony to those around us.
Kindness is something we must cultivate in our lives. The Bible tells us to “clothe ourselves with kindness (Colossians 3:12).” This means we put it on daily. So, how do we do this? Spending time with God is the best way to cultivate kindness because the more we spend time with Him, the more we begin to look like Him. Seeking God for healing of past hurts and wounds that are triggers for unkindness is another way. Asking the Lord for help to see people through His eyes will also help us grow in kindness. Remember, hurt people hurt people, so understanding why people may act as they do helps us to move in kindness and compassion towards them. And finally, looking for opportunities to practice kindness daily so that it becomes a part of who you are. Kindness is a beautiful thing. It’s a God thing! And it makes a big difference in the world around us. While it may not always be easy, it’s worth it, so let’s choose kindness daily!
