Try A Little Kindness

Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.

– Bob Kerrey

I am writing this several days before, but as you read this, it is now the day after the election. I don’t know who wins and who loses, but I can only imagine the exuberance some are experiencing in this moment and the angst others are having to endure. If there was ever a time to put others before ourselves and exhibit kindness to everyone, that time is definitely now.

Way back in 1969, Glen Campbell recorded a song that is more appropriate than ever…

You got to try a little kindness, yes show a little kindness.

Just shine your light for everyone to see.

And if you try a little kindness, then you’ll overlook the blindness,

Of narrow-minded people on narrow-minded streets.

This past Sunday, Mike Foster talked about the “Cancel Culture,” where we cancel people that don’t fit our values, beliefs, and yes, politics. He explained that we need to move from the Cancel Culture to a Kindness Culture where we focus on our similarities rather than our differences, on where we agree rather than where we disagree.

In Ephesians 4:22-24, the Apostle Paul writes,

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self [the Cancel Culture], which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

24 and to put on the new self [the Kindness Culture], created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

May we, as Paul wrote in Colossians 3,

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Is there anyone you’ve canceled to whom you need to show kindness? As Christ followers, let’s set the example and “try a little kindness, show a little kindness, and shine our light for everyone to see.”

Pastor Ken

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