It’s been a couple of weeks, and honestly, I’ve been on a rollercoaster. As some of you may know, I’ve been working on a startup. Some days I feel like I’m on top of the mountain, and some days (weeks even) I feel like I’m getting kicked in the guts by a very annoyed horse. Over and over again. So, its been a few weeks of the latter.
No matter, lunchtimes on Fridays are an opportunity for me to set aside my own worries, and look outside. We need to focus less on ourselves, and more on how we can serve those around us.
In that vein, I’ve been considering kindness. Kindness seems pretty simple, “don’t be a jerk” :). But it has deeper roots than that. I think Kindness is about selflessness. When you think about it, being kind is giving someone more than they deserve.
Kindness & Grace
If we consider a typical scenario where you walk into a restaurant. You are well within your rights to demand a table and a menu. You are well within your rights to expect fast and attentive service. And, you are well within your rights to expect your server to not spill your food, or make a mistake on the bill.
BUT, kindness is showing grace when you have to wait, when the server makes a mistake, takes too long with the menu or spills some food. When you speak gently, in the face of not getting what you “ought”, that is kindess.
I’ve always heard it said that “mercy is not getting what you deserve” and grace is “getting what you don’t deserve”. Kindness, at its core, is the giving of grace.
We are in a world that is constantly, and loudly, demanding its rights. We have a choice whether we walk that same path, demanding, and receiving our rights. And no one in this world would criticize you, for asking for what is your right.
But the way of faith, is a way of counter culturalism. When we give up our rights for the sake of the other, we really are living out our faith. This is how we can impact the world around us. It won’t be easy, but it is necessary! For Christians, this is emulating the life and character of Christ, living out the teaching “turn the other cheek”
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
Philippians 2 : 3-7
As we go through the rest of this weekend, let’s try and practice kindness. When we are annoyed or angry, it’s a perfect moment to breathe, calm down, and actively practice kindness.
See you next week, same time, same channel!