Treat People With Kindness
by Karen S. Roberts
Here is a morning devotion for today.
Challenge: Consider finding a way to treat people with kindness today.
Has Kindness Gone Missing?
Kindness seems to be missing in today’s society. We can be more connected to our devices than to what is happening around us. If we are self-absorbed, looking for ways to be kind may not even come to mind. So often we don’t even notice that another person is going through a tough time. If we do notice, do we attempt to reach out to show them God’s love?
Our world seems to be filled with strife, discontent, discord, and anger. We see relationships falling apart. Countries wage war. Politicians try to put one another down in order to get ahead themselves. Sometimes they even lie about one another. Hatred seems to be more evident than kindness.
Try a Little Kindness When You’re Upset.
According to Dr John and Julie Gottman, founders of the Gottman Institute, which studies relationships, every successful relationship is supported by kindness. They claim that the most important time you should be kind is during a conflict, such as when you are upset and feel like arguing. This is definitely the hardest time for most people to be kind.
This reminds me of the scripture, Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (NKJV)
A soft answer could be interpreted as a kind answer. If we speak harsh, unkind words, it just makes the conflict worse. We can disagree, but should express our opinion in a quiet respectful way.
If we let anger and harshness linger, we are building walls that pull us apart from others. It’s better to just be quiet instead of answering back hastily. Even if someone isn’t kind to us, we can still show kindness to them.
Jesus said, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…” (NKJV)
This is hard to do, but much needed. Doing good to people who treat you badly is the God-given way to treat people with kindness.
Why Kindness?
We look for kindness from our family and friends. We likely give and receive kindness every day in some way. Kindness moves us. We remember past kindnesses given to and by us. Kindness nourishes, heals, strengthens and uplifts us.
Did you know that showing kindness to others has many benefits? Here are some ways: 
- Kindness makes us happier. When we perform random acts of kindness, we activate areas of pleasure, social connection and trust in our brains.
- Doing good creates a positive loop in our emotions. Kindness makes you happier, and happiness makes you kinder. When you are at peace with God and others, you are more likely to feel empathy toward others.
- Kindness can create social connections and bonding. We are created to be a part of God’s family. Positive social connections enhance our abilities and boost mental clarity. Being kind allows us to be a welcomed part of a group. Being a part of a church where people express the love of Jesus is a positive experience. It builds you up and gives you many opportunities to serve others. That enhances the bonding and helps you feel a part of the family.
- Kindness helps with the healing process. When healthcare is delivered with kindness, it can hasten healing, even shortening hospital stays. Having caring care-givers can result in reduced pain, lowered blood pressure, and less anxiety for patients and their families. When you are sick and people call, visit, or send cards or flowers, you feel better emotionally. That helps you heal. And when someone comes to pray for you, you feel comforted. Studies have shown that prayer speeds up healing. Offering to pray with someone is a great kindness.
- Giving and receiving encouragement and prayer can actually decrease or help prevent diseases. Kindness lowers our stress and anxiety levels and decreases pain because of the endorphins and feel-good hormones released at the time of the act. It is well known that stress and anxiety can cause disease.
- Being unkind to those around us blocks our spiritual growth. Asking God to lead us to people who need kindness, and showing kindness to them, helps them, as well as us to grow spiritually.
No matter how inconsequential an act of kindness might seem, it is good for you. Without kindness, life would be lonely and could be filled with anger, desolation, disease, and stress. But when kindness is both given and received, with no expectations in return, our lives are calmer, happier, meaningful, and connected to others.
Remember: One of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians is kindness.
We can only live up to God’s level of kindness by allowing His Holy Spirit to work in us day by day.
Kindness Quotes
“Constant kindness can accomplish as much as the sun making ice melt. Kindness causes misunderstandings, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.” Albert Schweitzer
“Kindness gives birth to kindness.” Sophocles
“What God desires in a person is kindness…” Proverbs 19:22
How have you benefited from showing or receiving kindness? Leave a comment below.