The Lovely Feeling of Kindness

I searched my memory for my first feeling of kindness, and I found one from 80 years ago when I was a very little girl.

A Christian worker, Tony Testa, who worked with my dad at Camp Woodhaven, would jingle his pocket and pull out a few pennies and a nickel and a dime for me. I have continued to search my memory to recall lovely feelings of kindness experienced throughout my life. The most important feeling of kindness I ever received happened when a Sunday school teacher invited me to her home and encouraged me to accept Jesus as my Savior. That changed me. It instilled in me a pulsating motivation to follow Jesus and to show His kindness by encouraging others to do the same. 

When reading the New Testament, one can feel the kindness of Jesus saying, “Stretch out your hand,” and He heals the withered hand. You can feel His lovingkindness as He responds to the cry, “Jesus, Son of David. Have mercy on me!” The multitude was hungry and His disciples wanted Jesus to send them away. Jesus responded, “You feed them!” His lovingkindness vibrates across class, culture, and introduces the supernatural. We read story after story of Jesus being kind. I love how Jesus is kind in blessing the children when His disciples wanted to turn them away. His kindness finally pinnacles when He gives His body and blood for our sins. He not only forgives our sin, but His kindness then stretches to give us the gift of eternal life. This is the greatest feeling of kindness. “Your kindness is better than life.” Psalm 63:3

Kindness can be grand and costly, such as the kindness of Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, when they granted me a full scholarship to study international development. I remember the kindness of a devout Catholic woman, Anne Schindler, who visited Haiti always bringing new dresses for the missionary ladies. Then, there was the kindness of Madam Pierre Paul, mother of eight children, gifting me with a branch of bananas. This week, a granddaughter sent me a fresh fruit bouquet. Kindness creates a lovely feeling.

In the past 42 years, I have felt the lovingkindness of God’s people touching the hungry and the sick–bringing dignity and purpose to the lives of many. They repeat the kindness over and over until it blooms and transformation takes place. An example is sponsors praying for their children as well as providing for them. How can one describe the kindness invested in a hungry and uneducated child who then becomes a professional leader in his or her community? 

I felt kindness flowing this week as I sat waiting at a clinic. Two women sitting behind me of different ages, varied cultures, and perhaps different social classes, acknowledged each other’s presence with a simple greeting and small talk. They were only together for a few moments, but a feeling of kindness sweetly lingered as they left. It is not always a great cost to be kind. Don’t miss the little things. Kindness is a gift we give to others, but the feeling of kindness comes back to us. Jesus said, “Be kind and compassionate one to another.” Ephesians 4:32 ~Jeanne DeTellis Loudon