Be Kind

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. - Plato

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 NKJV

There’s always somebody worse off. - My Mum

It doesn’t really matter if you prefer the quote by Plato, Paul, or my Mum. The message is the same. When you think you are down, you get a ‘not so gentle’ reminder that the worst thing in the world is not happening to you, even though it feels like it. Someone, somewhere is suffering much more than you. My Mum was wise, but then she was only putting into her own words, the wisdom of sages gone before her. That makes it a truth, and one that has spanned many generations. From Plato to Mum, the truth of the message is the same.

For my part, I like Paul’s words best. He doesn’t just compare one person’s problem against another’s, he includes us in the solution. That’s you and me. The clue is in the words, “...one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” So, when one of our fellowship is hurting, do we look the other way, and leave it to someone else? Not according to Paul. No, we do the hardest thing, we are kind and tenderhearted, just as God is to us when He forgives us. That’s a whole lot of kindness, but on the scales of God’s forgiveness, it’s not a whole lot for us, is it?

The philosophy of Plato, the inspiration of Paul, and the loving wisdom of my Mum. All wise, and all correct, but only Paul’s words are ‘God Breathed’, so we really should take note and put them into action. So, do you know anyone who needs some of that loving kindness? If so, don’t let the moment pass. Give them a call, tell them you care. Let them know because they are fighting some kind of battle, and we can only imagine what it might be. The reason for doing this? It might be you or me next time, and we would want some of that kindness for ourselves too. Right? Yes, I thought you might agree with that part!