Kindness

Tv and Movies lie to us.

I realized that coming back to the states from a third world country has made me a bit wary about people and their motivations. When you live where you are the target of begging, and any possible scheme to part me from my money, I think cynicism is a common response.

[caption id="attachment_206" align="alignright" width="150"] Kindness begins with me[/caption]

But I find that I am more wary here in the United States, and after pondering it for awhile I think it is because of TV and Movies. All these crime shows, helps me to believe at a subconscious level that everyone is out to get me or at least my money. Basically to live in fear.

I do not know about you but I do not want to live in fear. Thankfully in the past 2 weeks I have had multiple encounters that have helped to refute this out to get me belief.

My friend Lisa and I went to a wood company to purchase baseboard to put in my condo, and when we got there, we were informed that they only come in 16 foot lengths. Well, the biggest mini-van I have ever seen isn’t close to being able to carry something that is 16 feet long. We were blessed by a wonderful Mexican man who volunteered to take it to my condo. He tied it on his truck, I jumped in and we followed Lisa, and unloaded it right into the garage and he was on his way.

The this past Monday I was out riding Trixie, my Vespa scooter and I locked the keys in the compartment under the seat. A long story short we were not able to break in and could not find the spare key, so I ended up walking it home; nearly 2 ½ miles. Given I did not run into many people walking on this street, but those I did asked if I was out of gas and could they get some for me. I wish that would have been an easy solution. I had an older gentleman stop and offer to put it in his truck, but between us we would not have been able to lift it. Then as I was nearing our street, two guys in a van pulled over. One walked it the remain way to the house and into the garage. My mom and I were blessed.

She asked if they were angels? They both looked a bit perplexed and said, “I don’t think anyone has ever asked me that before.”

I think these experiences helped to break down the idea that all people are greedy, out for themselves and want the worst for me. So, as I am prone to do, I started thinking about how I live out my witness as a Christian. Am I quick to offer help? How am doing at helping people to believed that Christians are different?

Galatians 5:22-23 says, “ 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Then there is the famous quote from A Streetcar Named Desire, “I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers,”

Am I the kind of stranger that offers kindness? Kindness is a fruit of the spirit how does it play out in my life? I have started to look for opportunities to be kind, giving a stranger the change they need at the register, giving food to a homeless person. Offering work to those who are struggling.

I was blessed and convicted these past two weeks. How do people see Christ in you? Do you see Christ in others?