Tag Archives: #kindness

#inspiration, #spirituality

Pleasantries

Oftentimes people greet us with, “How are you doing?” It’s nice of others to ask, but do they really care? I believe they do care.

I’m a greeter at my church on Sunday mornings. I like the volunteer work because I’m a friendly guy who likes to interact with people. Sometimes when I ask people how they are, they reply “okay.” One guy actually said “pretty shitty” and never broke stride! Mere pleasantries are not going to change these people’s day from just okay or pretty shitty to great. But I do offer a few words of genuine encouragement.

Check on people. Call them. Text them. Send them cards. People need to know that they are thought of and cared about…

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#inspiration

Loneliness

Recently I watched a documentary about a group of men who were trying to connect with men who are in prison. Some of the prisoners were serving life sentences. From where would they find hope?

It struck me as I listened to these men tell stories of their loneliness in isolation, that there was no one who cared about them. One man spoke of his suicidal ideations.

I wonder how many people who aren’t in prison feel the same way. They have no one to check on them or invite them out. They live among us yet we never see them.

Let’s keep this in mind when we interact with strangers. Be kind to them. They might be withdrawn from the world. Your kindness might be their last, best hope…

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#inspiration

Love Your Neighbor

Jesus told us to “love our neighbor as we love ourselves.” But how do we show love to our neighbor, and who is our neighbor?

Let’s begin with this: everyone we encounter is our neighbor. Everyone. We should try to follow the golden rule and treat people the way we want to be treated. This includes difficult people and the times we are in a hurry. We have an opportunity to leave a lasting impression on everyone.

We can only show love and compassion to others in ways which equal how we feel about ourselves. If our self-esteem is healthy, we will treat others as if they are equally important. They are.

All of us are works in progress. Keep working on yourself and your connections with others will deepen…

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#inspiration

In The Dark

Charity should come from the heart. God has said repeatedly that He wants our hearts over everything else. And only the Spirit can soften the heart of mankind.

Our giving is between us and God. It’s not to be flaunted or posted to get “likes” on social media. There are times I am okay with other people sharing their giving with their followers. Perhaps their generosity inspires others to give. And that’s a good thing…

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#inspiration

Pain

The holidays are difficult for me. When I was a child, year after year brought disappointment during Christmas. It wasn’t because I didn’t get what I wanted. We were a broken family, and all I really wanted was to fix us.

Many people are living with similar pain during this season. Be mindful. Be kind. Your kindness might make all the difference to someone…

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#inspiration

Romance

Romance is fun and exciting, isn’t it? But it’s torture during those periods of pain. The reason there’s pain is because you care.

Relationships aren’t always happy and free of care. They can be messy. Other people can bring out the best in us, and sometimes the worst. Selfish behavior on our part makes us unreasonable and hard-headed. So how do we make certain we are being loving and kind, even when we don’t feel like it?

Let’s consider the words of The Apostle Paul when he wrote, “Love is patient and kind. It does not envy, does not boast, and it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

The word of God has power. Revere it, believe it and practice it…

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#inspiration

Superspreader

Superspreader is a term that became commonplace during the pandemic. It typically means something negative, something harmful.

Does it have to be a negative event? I say no, no it does not. Why don’t we start a superspreader of kindness and compassion, treating our fellow man the way we want to be treated?

Anything is possible if we believe…

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#inspiration

Teachers

Today is National Teacher Day in the United States. So first off, thank you to all of the dedicated, devoted teachers worldwide.

The best teaching moments are in the home. We, as parents, should model behavior for our children. Characteristics like kindness, forgiveness, compassion and honesty are best taught by example, not by forced behavior.

Our children are watching us all the time. Let’s make sure our words and actions align…

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Religion

I don’t believe in organized religion. Religion has been used to hurt people. Personally, I follow Jesus and try to live up to the example He set for us. Jesus was a radical, saying things like “love your enemies,” and “pray for those who persecute you.” One thing He didn’t do was bring the world more religion. He showed us the true character of God.

Religion will continue. The rules of religion (no drinking or dancing etc) will remain. I simply study the life of the One who redeemed and restored hurting people…

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#inspiration

Be Heard

There are people in the world who feel like they don’t matter. The pandemic ravaged mental health, and every day there are people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

Everyone matters to God. He didn’t create us to forget about us. If your fellow man is hurting, help him and help him help himself. Speak up for the marginalized, the voiceless. Doing what’s right is rarely easy, and sometimes you have to stand alone. Stand up and be heard…

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