Why Do We Believe in Kindness?

Why are you kind to other people? Why do you do good deeds? Many of us grew up strongly believing that we were called to good behavior in order to please God. So, we believed that was the reason we should be nice, loving, fair, honest, and kind.

Consequently, our notion has been that God wants us to be good people — like a parent wants her children to behave, and to keep the rules. It is the right thing to do!

However . . . we must see God differently than that. God urges — and even commands us — to love one another. The story of the Good Samaritan was given to demonstrate what he meant. The Samaritan saw someone in need, and immediately did what he could to help. And then Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."

Here are a few ideas to stimulate your thinking about things you can do. It is often very simple things that can be so meaningful to another person.

• A car-full of older women drove about 80 miles, round trip, on busy highways, to visit a slowly recovering cancer surgery patient.

• A man swept the leaves and grass (and whatever else was there) away from the curb in front of his own house, and then he went over and did it in front of his neighbor's house.

• An older, single woman missed her Sunday School class two weeks in a row. A woman in the class reached out to get in touch with her, to see if she was okay.

• Clerks in the stores typically say, “Have a good day." It might be automatic for them, without any intentional thought behind the words, but I have started a habit of replying to them, “Your niceness just made it better.”

Here are some Scripture verses that tell us the value of kind words and smiling faces:

Proverbs 15:13 - Kind words bring life….

Proverbs 15:30 - Smiling faces make you happy, and good news makes you feel better.

Proverbs 16:24 - Kind words are like honey, sweet to the taste and good for your health.

Proverbs 17:22 - Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.

Many additional verses could be added that point us toward the enormous varieties of ways in which we must 'love one another'.

And the bottom line is to raise and deepen the health and well-being of ourselves and those around us. That is the good Lord’s plan, and his intention for all of us — happier living.