After a contentious and sometimes vengeful election campaign, it's good to know there is such a thing as World Kindness Day. That happens tomorrow—November 13—serving "as a reminder of the positive impact that kindness can have on individuals, communities, and the world at large. It encourages people to perform intentional acts of kindness and foster a culture of compassion and generosity." What a relief to have fo the focus shifted—for one day, at least—away from divisiveness and toward camaraderie.
Kindness doesn't cost anything, only the sacrifice of swallowing insults you'd really like to hurl at the paper carrier who (again) threw your Sacramento Bee under the car. Kindness doesn't hurt anything either, except maybe your pride when you say, in all sincerity, "I'm sorry" after you are late for a coffee date.
Quite a few of us are smarting because our votes were not enough or the neighbors—whom we thought were such nice people—showed their true colors in posting signs for a candidate we did not like. (Won't be sitting by them at the next block party. Wait, that's not very kind.) How difficult it is to go about everyday life knowing others don't embrace the same opinions. Immigration. Homelessness. Climate change. Government infrastructure. Judicial appointments. These are only a few of the many hot topics that will be the talk of family gatherings this winter. Will Uncle Charlie stomp angrily out of the room when you mention same-sex marriage at the dinner table? Will your book club buddy "unfollow" you on social media because you argue against deportation of undocumented workers? Situations like this are kind ... of hard.
A character in TV's M*A*S*H series once said, "It's nice to be nice ... to the nice." And it is. It's not so nice to be nice to those we feel are full of prejudice or hate toward others. How do we live by our Christian principles—which tell us to stand up to oppressors and bullies—and yet also, as Jesus instructed us, to "love our enemies?"
As Jim Guida concluded his sermon last Sunday, he said that one thing is definitely needed for us to be able to love unconditionally: God's grace. It's through that amazing grace we will find ourselves available for civil conversation, for peaceful resolution to conflict, and for forgiveness. Let's practice kindness until we get really good at it.
... being kind.
