Another Forever in Progress: Be Kind to Every Person I Meet

My time here at THOGL and in Taiwan has taught me a lot of things that you usually learn when you go overseas for an extended amount of time, whether to do missions or study abroad, or whatever you may be doing. Mostly, though, I have learned to appreciate the little things. Naturally, I'm thankful for a refreshing swig of Coke in the middle of our shift, just as I am thankful for the family who left us with an abundance of Macaroni and Cheese. I'm thankful for cold water, because it is sometimes hard to come across. But what I find I am most thankful for is this: kindness...


I have a lot of time to think around here, especially as I fight my body to sleep as the sun rises in our windows. Usually, I find myself reflecting on a day's events, especially if something out of the ordinary happens. However, I ALWAYS reflect on moments of kindness:

• The day when Ted told us he would get us McDonald's breakfast if we took a short ride with him into town. He also drove us home (we usually walk the 3/4 mile in the morning after we're done working). We hadn't been out of the house in over 10 days at that point. He probably saved us from getting sicker than we already are.

• The first couple that ever came here. They weren't parents, but were a visiting missionary couple. This couple couldn't stop showing us kindness. They bought us milk-flavored bing with mangoes before anyone here had told us that such a thing existed (think shaved-ice flavored like homemade vanilla ice cream). They left us 12 packs of juice, because they had asked if we wanted to go to the store with them, and we were still getting over jet lag and declined. They invited us multiple times to come visit them, including AFTER they had left. The kindness they showed was unforgettable.

• The moments when someone has helped me with a kid when it is pretty apparent that I'm not feeling well enough to deal with them. These moments have happened on occasion, and especially with my wonderful wife, and they're golden to me.

• Times when the day crew is able to get out and brings us back little things like McDonald's or Coke or Sprite. They're quite insignificant (because we always have something to eat and drink around here), but the gesture of kindness is priceless.

In thinking about kindness so much, I've wondered where that fits in with my faith. Do I need to be kind? People like to preach that you don't have to be friends with every one, so it seems to convey the thought that I don't necessarily need to show kindness. Is that right, though? I'm still not 100% sure, but I've looked into it a little. The Bible verse that comes to mind when I think of "kindness" is most definitely 1 Corinthians 13:4 :

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." (NIV)

Love is kind. So what? What does that matter? Well, I think I've seen that in action here. There are some great people of faith that are around The Home of God's Love. Unfortunately, such faith is marred by a lack of kindness. This is exactly what the verses before 1 Corinthians 13:4 are saying:

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV)

 So here's what I gather. If I don't have love, then I've got three things going for me:

1. I'm annoying. Ever heard a "clanging cymbal"? Just think of a 2 year old on a drumset. You get the idea.
2. I'm nothing. Nada. 
3. I gain squat. I get nothing out of life. And where's the fun in that?

How does this all connect? 1 Corinthians 13:4 wraps it together by saying it simply: "Love is kind." Essentially, then, Paul is saying that if you don't show kindness, these above three things apply. What is kindness, really, though? And what did Paul mean when he penned that word? I did a lot of digging through Logos Bible Software and the Greek word for "kind" used there. Basically, it's a Greek verb that means to be friendly.

So we're back to where I started. A lot of people say you don't have to be friends with every person you meet. I'm not so sure that you have to be either. But I do know the impact that kindness has had on me. And that is why I have made it my life goal to be kind to every person I meet. It's a lofty life goal, and I know it sounds ridiculous, but I know that God will help me out.

One last note: If I've failed in this for you thus far in life, let me know. Until then, consider doing the same, because we could all use a little extra kindness, friendliness, and love in our lives.