Monday, March 19, 2007

Kindness

I have already written on Kindness here and here but it is theme I can't get away from this book I am reading talks about programmed acts of kindness, how churches, communities and individuals can organise little kindness happenings throughout their neighbourhoods. I am all for planned acts of kindness but I also want to move towards an internalization of kindness into my very being, so that it becomes someone I am, rather than something I do. How do I move towards being kind all the time? Okay I know this sounds random, someones going to say, pray more, become more like Jesus etc.. all of which I beleive is essential, but can I just be kind?

Here's the dilemma, I get tired, I get grumpy and then I am not as kind, it's easy to buy someone a bunch of flowers or do some organised thing but much harder to just be that way. To live generously.

I was in washington a few weeks ago sitting in a starbucks outside Capitol Hill when we got talking to a recovering drug addict who had just become a christian and was living in a hostel. I felt I should give him some money, so I made a mental note that whatever I could pull out of my wallet I would press into his hand, so I sneakily pulled some money out of my wallet and noticed it was $100 bill, I tried hard to push it back in and get a $20 but it wouldn't work, so I ended up giving him the $100, I don't say this to make me sound good, just the opposite really, how come I talk about being kind and following the promptings and then I have a crisis when I get a chance?

I followed up but felt wrong for being so tight and desperatly trying to pull out a smaller note.

p.s Have no had time to spell check this....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brian I think you are getting off track a little....God's desires are paramount, keep listening to the Holy Spirit within you, then you will be guided correctly, kind acts or whatever. But remember also, Jesus didn't heal every person He came across, it was only what His Father called him to do...sometimes the kindest thing and the best thing for a person or situation is to simply pray, not to give money or aid....Our Father may have something greater in mind for the person....anyway love reading your blog and bless you and your family...

Unknown said...

Hey bud, in your kindness study have you looked at where Peter puts the word kindness in his ladder of faith in I Peter 1... very curious. And the whole Old Testamet "hesed" thing within the character heart of God.

john heasley said...

Brian, I think you have missed the point a bit. you gave that $100, you didn't put it back in your wallet, you were compelled because of what you are and who is in you, it doesn't mean that your first thought will always be the right one.