Show Kindness
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." -- Galatians 6:9
A college professor once said that she never returned a paper without at least finding one good thing about it. Sometimes it was difficult but she kept at it until she found something she could genuinely compliment the student on. The reason? She wanted every student to have hope that the next paper could be better.
It's difficult to see the good in some people. They just seem to rub us the wrong way. They make mistake after mistake, tripping themselves up in self-destruction. They build themselves up by tearing other people -- including you -- down. They're negative and angry and just hard to like. Like them anyway.
We aren't called to judge others. We are called to love those around us. We don't know the heart of that angry person. We don't see the brokenness that comes with self-destruction. We don't feel the insecurity that urges a person to put others down so they can feel better about themselves. Only God sees our hearts. And loves us anyway.
Maybe we should take a bit of advice from that college professor and determine that we will find something good in each and every person we encounter. We'll strive to view everyone through the eyes of Jesus, looking past the outward struggles and looking inward toward the scarred and broken heart that lies within. We'll look for something unique and wonderful to sincerely compliment. We'll show kindness instead of rejection. We'll offer compassion rather than criticism. We'll radiate Jesus' light instead of wallowing in Satan's darkness.
We may not see anything good come in that moment. We may not see it while we walk this earth. But one day we'll see the harvest that comes when we let others see Jesus living inside of us.
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