Kindness

If you were asked what you value most, you might answer with something lofty, or something humble - wisdom, or integrity, or clean bedsheets, or the laughter of children.

Most of us, I think, value kindness very highly without realizing it. I recently asked a new acquaintance how some plans of hers were progressing, and received this (written) reply:

Thanks for being kind to me. I appreciate it more than you know.

Her reply stopped me in my tracks. Surely I had just acted normally, just asked about something? Yet to this person, it had shown kindness, met some need...Kindness can be almost effortless; its effects, dazzling.

Gary Chapman (Living Love) said this week:

When we act kindly toward others, they will be drawn to us and to God. That's why being kind is so energizing. When we are kind, we are acting as we were created to act. 

I don't know about you, but I need energizing! May you give and receive kindness, welling up from inside and washing over you from outside; kindness, within and without.