Be Kind. 

We are bombarded with these words everywhere we look.  Billboards. T-shirts. Coffee mugs. Journals. Signs.  Social media.

We are also bombarded with Hate. Anger. Arguments. Greed. Fights. Name-calling. Hurt. Disrespect. Division.

How are we supposed to be kind when we hear one thing and see the other?  How are we supposed to teach our children to be kind when they witness hate all around them? 

I will admit sometimes I get sucked in.  I read the comments of a Facebook post or I listen to the negativity in the news.  I don’t agree with what I read or what I hear, and I want my opinion heard.  I want to be right more than I want to be kind.

Ultimately though, I do want to be kind.  Even if I don’t agree.  It’s ok.   I tell my students all the time that it’s ok that we don’t always agree.  But what’s important is that we figure out a way to make it work.  We don’t have to be disrespectful. We don’t have to name-call, spew hate, get angry.  Trying to keep the peace can sometimes be exhausting. With 5^th graders and with fifty year-olds. But in the end, it is worth it.

I’m so sad to see friends who post “unfriend me if you believe……” I don’t unfriend them.  Even if I don’t agree with them.  Do I really just want to be friends with people who believe like me?  I don’t unfriend these people because, regardless of what they believe, they are my friends.  I want to see pictures of their children or grandchildren.  I want to congratulate them on their successes and pray for them during difficult times.  I want to support them.  Because they are my friends.

We are called by God to love our neighbor.  Not because it’s easy.  Sometimes it’s anything but easy.  He didn’t say to love those who believe like us.  We are to love all.  Because that’s how He loves. 

One Sunday our pastor encouraged us to pray during the upcoming week for a person who we struggled with, a person who had wronged us, a person who we did not get along with.  I left church telling my husband about the person I had in mind.  I started the conversation with, “(Said-person) was an ass.  (Said-person) has always been an ass, and always will be an ass, but if I’m supposed to pray for this person, I will.  But it’s not going to change the fact that he’s an ass and will continue to be an ass.”  My husband, who is so good at speaking truth when I need to hear it,  said, “I think you missed the point of the sermon.”   (I think he was right.)

I’m so glad that God doesn’t treat me like that.  Even if I deserve it.  He loves me.  And He loves that person I was calling an “ass” as much as he loves me. 

I recently noticed a marquee that read, “Love everyone!  Leave the rest to me.  -Love, God.”   That’s what we are called to do. Love God Love People.  Just like the Danny Gokey song.

This year has been challenging to say the least. The coming weeks are not going to be easy.  We are not going to agree with everything we see or hear.  We might not like what happens.  But the bottom line is God loves you and he loves me. And, we are called to love like Him. It doesn’t matter who we agree or disagree with. Guard your heart. Share the love. And, BE KIND!

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12 (NIV)