I love to drive this particular route.
- Yes, I go through two school zones.
- Yes, the speed limit is… well… limiting.
- Yes, it may take a little longer to get where I’m going.
But it also takes me past someone who brightens my day. So… it’s worth it.
… Because sometimes we just crave kindness.
You see, this particular path takes me right by an older man who volunteers his mornings as a cross guard for a neighborhood school.
It’s obvious he’s too old to have kids in elementary school. Grandkids, maybe. But my guess is that he just has a heart to serve. Maybe he has a heart for kids and wants to ensure their safety.
And while I love that idea, what causes me to take this specific route is what he does for… me.
No matter my gender…
Regardless of my socio-economic status…
Political affiliation aside…
Despite my age or skin color…
… he waves at me.
He sees me coming, looks right at me, shares a big grin… and waves.
Sounds so simple, I know.
But that kindness makes me navigate slower speeds, and encourages me to take a longer route.
Sisters, be it strangers or those we love: How we treat others… matters.
I once read a quote that said, “Treat everyone with kindness, even those who are rude to you – not because they are nice, but because you are.”
What if we decided to just be… nice?
When the waitress gets our food order wrong… we are polite.
When someone cuts us off on the road… we let it go.
When we are the target of someone’s anger… we give grace.
No. I don’t think this is easy… or fun… or natural. Honestly, it feels more normal to respond in a “like” manner. It’s easier to allow your anger to come out sideways than to respond in the opposite spirit.
But, we can choose to be kind to others.
We can make a decision to act differently than the world.
We can be that city on a hill (Matthew 5:14).
You see… Jesus tells us to love. It’s not romantic love. It’s love that is selfless and respectful and kind. And it’s how He wants us to relate to each other.
It’s not a suggestion.
It’s a command.
But so often we treat it as an… option.
It’s. Not.
What would this world look like if we decided to love others with our words… our actions… our attitudes… and our behaviors.
Let’s find out.
REALITY CHECK: In a world full of people who couldn’t care less, be someone who couldn’t care more.
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© 2012 careyscotttalks.com
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“Be someone who couldn’t care more!” This is profound and oh the heart of God. Someone made a statement yesterday “It’s not how we act that shows we are a Christian – it’s how we react!” Powerful! What comes out of my heart in that split uncalculated instance reveals a lot. This is a great challege to go out of my way today (and every day) to care more! To respond in love when love it’s the unnatural response. Thank you for calling us another step higher in our thinking and walk with the Lord. What an amazing journey it is to walk with the Lord.
Jeanelle… great point. It’s that “reaction” that really reveals what’s in our heart. Yet another reason we need Jesus so desperately!
Made my day!
Thanks,
-Chris
Christopher A. Monroe, CIC, CRIS
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Oh, Carey. I always love your posts but this one struck such a chord with me. Since I became a believer in college, I have always thought Christians should be marked by kindness, really unshakeable kindness – a supernatural ability to remain loving in the face of whatever circumstances come. People are drawn to sincere kindness, as your story demonstrates! What a witness pure kindness is. It speaks so loudly. Oswald Chambers talks a lot about giving up our rights to ourselves – that we are God’s, not our own – so we don’t truly have the right to be angry, or hurt, or inconvenienced, or whatever. It’s all rooted in pride, isn’t it? Such a simple concept and yet I stumble (or worse) every day. Thanks for the reminder.
Kimberly… Oswald has some good words, girl. And yes, I think most everything is rooted in pride. Ugh. But I also know that God is persistent to make us more like Christ. For that, I am so grateful! Have a great weekend!