God of Kindness

There are persons in this world who believe that the world is a dangerous place. Certainly, it's nothing like it was 30 years ago. The things that we used to do as kids, most parents today would never let their kids do - things like stay out all day without some kind of tracking device (or cell phone), ride their bikes all over town, knock on neighbors' doors, etc. It just doesn't seem safe. I mean, have you seen this world? 

Social media is full of unproven stories about suspicious persons following shoppers through the stores, eyeing young children, lurking in parking lots. Almost every single one of these stories has been proven false, with no actual police record to document any such occurrences, but it doesn't stop the stories from striking fear and gossip in the hearts of those who fear this world. 

The thing is, if you're really paying attention, there's more kindness in this world than there is anything else. 

There are more persons willing to pull an item off the top shelf for an elderly shopper than there are thieves waiting to steal her purse. More persons willing to take that shopping cart off your hands in the parking lot than try to carjack you. More persons who will pick up the little toy your toddler just dropped and hand it back to him than are looking to take him out of your hands. More persons who will hold a door for you than slam one in your face. And the numbers aren't even close. 

Kindness in this world is at least 10,000 to 1 over evil. 

And for good reason. 

Because God leads people with human kindness (Hosea 11:4). 

Kindness is one of the gifts God has given us to give each other. It's one of the ways He is reaching out to us. It's how He is guiding us to better things, to be better persons, to trust a little more, to accept love, to treasure grace, to do what He's called us to do in this world - to "one another" one another. 

And if your life has ever been touched by kindness, you get it. You know how it draws you a little bit closer to your neighbor, and a little bit closer to God. You know how it strengthens your tired hands to take a new grip on a weary life. You know how it encourages your heart. You know how it prompts you to take that next big step, trust that next big thing, try something new. 

One small act of kindness coming into your life makes you feel like you can do anything, at least for the next little bit. It makes you feel like you can go one more minute, one more day, one more mile. One more smile. It makes you want to reach out to the person next to you, and them to the one next to them, and on and on until kindness spreads through the world. 

And all of a sudden, it doesn't seem like such a scary place any more. 

Because it isn't. 

The world is full of kindness. It is God's gift to us, and His gift for us to give one another. It's how He leads us through this broken life - one anothering with one another, walking each other Home, on our way back to Him.