22 The Holy Spirit produces a different kind of fruit: unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. You won’t find any law opposed to fruit like this.
25 Now since we have chosen to walk with the Spirit, let’s keep each step in perfect sync with God’s Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23, 25 The Voice
It has already been three days since we celebrated the birth of Jesus, and I hope and trust that your Christmas, though probably different from years past, was filled with joy, love and kindheartedness. I am very much looking forward to ending this unprecedented and difficult year and beginning with hopefully a renewed freshness of restoration in my heart, mind and spirit. And maybe you are too.
I’ve been thinking a lot of the act of kindness. It’s one of the fruits, or outward expressions of the Spirit living within you. It’s truly a simple act but this year I have felt that kindness or kindheartedness has been lacking in general. Maybe from the stress of everything this year has brought or fear of what tomorrow might bring, but kindheartedness or the act of kindness is simply love made visible. God showed us true kindness when God kindly showered the world with love as the Christ Child was born to bring restorative healing light into the darkness.
Kindheartedness or Kindness is simply caring for others, even when it isn’t reciprocated. Seeing and celebrating the beauty in others, even when they don’t find it in themselves. Giving hope to the vulnerable, neglected, and forgotten, even when they are not able to return it back to you. And just like the sun when it melts the ice, kindness can dissolves our differences, mistrusts, and hostility in the world.
Maybe kindness is perhaps our most valuable tool in spreading love, because it’s capable of changing us. It can change humanity, it can change the world, because the love imbedded in kindness shifts our mind from self to the other which offers a place of peace. This peace of mind is not a winning of one side, but a means of peace that comes from a place where there is no longer two sides competing but instead a reconciliation of the two into one.
As I reflect on kindness I am reminded of the words our Methodist founding Father John Wesley left for us and how it rings true to live into as a new year begins. “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, to all the people you can, in all the places you can, as long as ever you can.”
So as we lean into the beginning of our journey into a New Year, may we walk together in love, kindheartedness and peace so that we may be the change we wish to see in this world(M.Gandhi).
God of restoration and healing, renew our strength and compassion to be an offering of love and kindheartedness to others. Bring your peace and a renewed sense of joy to our lives, fill us and surround us with Your Spirit to bring restoring light to a hurting and broken world. Amen.
Brenda