Cultivating Kindness

When we learn to propagate kindness, it spreads like wildflowers, bringing beauty to the most unexpected places.

My husband and I ate dinner at a local restaurant one evening, a rare treat for us. We had a lovely meal and were getting ready to head home, so we signaled for our check. Our waitress came over and informed us that our meal had been paid for; she hoped we had an enjoyable time. We were so surprised! We looked around to see our pastor and his wife sitting a few tables away. They waved and smiled. Immediately, we went over to say hello and asked them if they had paid for our meal. Yes, they had, they replied. They simply wanted to bless us. This act of kindness on their part forever endeared them to us and memorialized what was merely a pleasant experience into a dinner we will never forget.

Kindness is like that. It seems like a small thing, but in reality, it significantly impacts people. One simple act of kindness can start a domino effect that shifts an atmosphere. How many times has a pay-it-forward line in a coffee shop made everyone's day?

These things bring us joy and encourage us to believe that the world is indeed a beautiful place. These wildflower seeds of kindness bloom best in harsh conditions, spreading beauty and fragrance where it is needed most.

I wonder if performing these random acts of kindness doesn't occur to us simply because they are so unexpected? We get busy with our lives and our to-do lists, and we blow by opportunities to be kind because we are so busy. Kindness will often take us out of our way. It travels the backroads, the scenic routes. We miss it if we travel only on the highway.

I encourage you to look for little ways to be kind each day. Perhaps it is sending a quick text to a friend who needs encouragement—or taking a meal to someone who is ill. Maybe it looks like paying for someone's groceries or simply picking up trash you find on the road or on your walk.

However you choose to be kind, know that your kindness impacts the world you live in. And...kindness breeds kindness. Have fun spreading the wildflower beauty of kindness and cultivating it in this way wherever you go.

Categories: : Equipping, Fruit of the Spirit, Kindness, Mindset