Tag: kindness

Categories
Encouragement

Cruelty for Cruelty’s Sake?

hands forming a heart shape
Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

You can be good for the mere sake of goodness; you cannot be bad for the mere sake of badness. You can do a kind action when you are not feeling kind and when it gives you no pleasure, simply because kindness is right; but no one ever did a cruel action simply because cruelty is wrong

C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

We may try not to think about the stranger who is suffering next to us. And we may try to ignore the disheveled person at the intersection with a sign begging for money. We may even develop a story about the person that he is conning us, or she is working for a network of panhandlers.

Rarely does anyone do cruelty for cruelty’s sake. If they did, we would conclude that the person is a psychopath. No, we usually have a reason for acting badly. But that doesn’t make it right.

It is far better to be kind for kindness’ sake, even when we don’t feel like it, because it is right.

Categories
accountability storytelling

We all Need Help

high angle photo of woman on ladder
Photo by Samantha Garrote on Pexels.com

In a good story, the hero rarely succeeds alone. Especially in a plot where the circumstances appear dire, the hero has some help.

We all need help. "People seldom refuse help, if one offers it in the right way." A. C. Benson

One of the tragedies of this age is that we are increasingly loners and lonely. We go about self-improvement projects alone and falter because of our blind spots. And it seems to be getting worse. It’s become an epidemic after the pandemic. When we feel we have to go it alone, all hope evaporates.

But we are never truly alone. Keep this in mind: we can be recipients and givers of assistance no matter what stage of need you are in.

Help that maintains the dignity of the one in need and gives kindness and consideration to them works wonders.

Think back to when you were in need, and someone was there to give you aid. That is a story worth telling. Perhaps that story will help someone else see that they can rise from a low place.

An encouraging story can be just the help someone needs.

Categories
children's ministry cartoons K! Magazine love Magazine

Loving your Neighbors the right way

Alas, if you get slapped with a restraining order, you probably aren’t loving your neighbors the right way! What does it look like to help those around us when society has become very suspicious of anyone offering help?

Cartoon of a boy and a teacher. The boy says, "Every time I try to love my neighbor, I get hit with a restraining order!"
Continue reading “Loving your Neighbors the right way”
Categories
motivation

Kindness Saves Us

Kindness Saves Us

Most of us think it would be great if there was a little more consideration in the world. We would like to be treated better, whether at a store on the road. But do we ever consider that our kindness saves us?

We were traveling on the day after Christmas. I thought things were a little crazy before the holidays. However, December 26 had nothing on the pre-Christmas madhouse.

On the interstate, muscle cars, pickups, and the occasional motorcycle acted like they were in a Fast and Furious movie. When I was driving, I felt my blood pressure rise and my brow furrow.

At one point, we came upon an accident. Traffic was backed up about six miles. All the previous speeders had to slow down like the rest of us. They had no choice. Since I was the passenger at this point, I got a photo of the aftermath.

Auto accident on a freeway shoulder as the sun sets. © 2021 Kevin Spear

As we waited, I wondered if it was speed and an ill-timed lane change that caused the accident. I reminded myself of the following proverb.

Your kindness will reward you,
but your cruelty will destroy you.

Proverbs 11:17 (NLT)

Frequently, it is selfishness and cruelty that harm us. We believe we have the right to do an aggressive, selfish act only to discover it didn’t help the situation and only made things worse.

Hopefully, the parties involved were okay. And if an aggressive drive was involved, hopefully, someone learned a lesson before they destroy themselves or others. Let’s be kind to one another out there before we destroy each other.

Categories
motivation Quotes

Courage is Contagious

Quote from Billy Graham: "Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened."

Today would have been Billy Graham’s 103rd birthday. There appear to be other people that have made this statement. Looks like my former governor wrote a book with this title. But I think Graham says it best.

“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”

Billy Graham

I see courage as less of an emotion and more of a virtue. You can be afraid, yet courageous. The odds may be stacked against you, and your anxiety is high, yet you can still be courageous. First responders and soldiers show courage every day thanks to their commitment and training.

The average man or woman can show it as well. It may be less because of training, but more of a commitment to virtue or a cause. When we know what we stand for, we are willing to stand up for it. That commitment to courage can inspire others to do the same.

When courage is combined with commitment and kindness, the world is a much better place. Billy Graham showed that kind of courage. May we show commitment, kindness, and courage on his birthday.