Kindness

What is kindness?  This seems to me to be one of the fuzziest of the fruits of the spirit.  Here they are again for those of who can't seem to keep these characteristics in the forefront of our minds.  (OK, this list is really for ME - I can't seem to keep them all activated at once.)  LOVE, JOY, PEACE, FORBEARANCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL.

To be kind is to have a friendly, generous and considerate nature.  However, kindness is the ACT of friendliness, generosity, and showing consideration for others.  I'm beginning to get the drift here.....  These fruits of the spirit are not passive.  Can you believe one is expected to actually throw one's self into action?    Using the fruits of the spirit in daily life can make daily interactions more, well, fruitful.

According to the Urban Dictionary 'kindness' is no longer in much evidence.  What a sad commentary on the isolation of American urban life.  However, it's not dead, just dormant since we're all having a bit of trouble deciding who are our neighbors.  I know I have lots of opportunities here in the land of the uber elderly to practice kindness.  For example, I'm routinely on the look-out at the grocery store for old ladies who I see eyeing something on a high or low shelve and calculating if they can reach it without falling.

You don't even have to be a 'believer' to put this fruit in action.  While I'm writing this Drake is demonstrating kindness in action:  We had company over last night and while I was waving my hands and arms about while I talked - yes, you've all seen that - I knocked over a glass and it shattered.  One of the friends who was the 'company' picked up as many pieces as he could find as an act of kindness, and this morning Drake is the one who got out the vacuum cleaner, set it up, and then vacuumed the entire area for stray glass shards.

I think the takeaway here is kindness is an action.  See if you can activate your kindness today.   God knows this is one fruit when offered repeatedly will only enrich you and the recepient.