Sunday, December 12, 2010

Be Kind All The Time

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." -- Colossians 3:15

I heard someone comment the other day about how much nicer people are this time of year. It seems that the spirit of Christmas makes people smile more often. People seem to say "please" and "thank you" on a regular basis. They let you cut in line in front of them ... well, maybe not that nice.

It's sad, though, don't you think? We have to wait until Christmas to be nice. Maybe we're just better at faking it this time of year. We keep hearing about Jesus lying in the manger because there was no room for his folks at the inn. So we want to extend Christian charity. We want to help people and be kind to people. We overlook things. We hold our tongues. We speak nice words of encouragement and gratitude.

But shouldn't we be doing that all year long? We get so caught up in the stresses of daily life that we forget to live like Jesus all the time. We get upset about things that really don't matter anyway. Not in the long run. Not when we look at them in context -- everything here is temporary. People matter so much more than things ever could.

So take time to take a deep breath and be nice to someone who cuts in line in front of you. Smile when you don't feel like it. Use your manners and say "please," "thank you," and "excuse me" on a regular basis. Give to charities as God directs you. Greet people you don't know. Make strangers at your church feel welcome by engaging them in a conversation that goes beyond a handshake and "hello." Take a few minutes to spend time with an elderly person who is all alone. Reach out to others even when you don't feel that you have the time.

We weren't called to be nice just a few weeks out of the year. As Christians, we are called to be kind and generous all the time. We are to show others that Jesus lives within us. It's amazing how that works. The more kindness and compassion we show to others, the more peace we feel inside ourselves. And the more we want to reach out to still more people.