A little kindness can go a long way
- Kyle Snyder: Live on Purpose
- August 29, 2021
- 717
“Kindness, pass it on.” —Foundation for a Better Life.
I am in the people business. I love to see people succeed. Nothing brings me greater joy than to see people connect with their dreams.
Unfortunately, there are those who would like us to buy into the lie that nobody can succeed in life anymore, but they are wrong. I find it funny the people who are saying that are generally well-off. It is not very kind of them to say that to us, and it makes me wonder if they just don’t want people to succeed at all.
Kindness can be very difficult at times, especially when we have been wronged by someone we love or look up to. However, Jesus tells us to love one another and give of ourselves to each other out of love and kindness. Nowhere in the word of God are we told to love people who love us back; we are just told to love people. Jesus showed us the greatest example of kindness by dying on the cross for our sins. Shouldn’t we show the same kindness to our fellow men?
In a world where we are continually told it is all about ourselves and we should use people to get what we desire out of life, we need to turn that on its head. Instead of being self-focused, we need to put that focus on others. Maybe they don’t know any better, but we should. It is way too easy to pay others back for the pain they cause us, but we should put ourselves in their position. Maybe they were never given much kindness in their life, or they just don’t think much before they act. We need to be the bigger person and show them some love and kindness. We might be the only people who give them a kind word.
I had a little medical issue in July that made me miss work for a few weeks, nothing too major. I just needed time off to rest. I go to the chiropractor almost every week to get adjusted. I didn’t go for about two weeks because I didn’t feel that bad, and I thought it might hurt me more. I was hurting one day, so I went and told him about the issue I’ve been having. He went easy on me but still helped me, and he might even have helped my medical condition get better sooner.
I told the receptionist to bill me because I hadn’t been working and I would pay later, which was fine by her. Yesterday I went in to be adjusted, and I found out my last visit and the visit from yesterday, plus whatever balance I had from before, had been paid. When I was there the last time, the man behind me overheard me tell her to bill me, and he paid everything, plus enough for my next visit. I was told by her he reads my column, so to you sir, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Being kind to someone is probably the easiest thing we can do in life. Sometimes, all it takes is a smile, a wave “hello” to someone or just saying “hi.” People want to know someone is out there. We may just listen to someone’s hurts and let them know we will pray for them.
Even people who don’t go to church are thankful when people are praying for them or their loved ones. What is one small thing you can do to show kindness to someone this week? Who knows, we just might show someone there are still kind people out there after all.