There I was in Walmart watching a mom completely ignoring her little preschool age son as she traipsed from aisle to aisle holding a cell phone in one hand and filing through the racks of clothes with the other.
His little legs rushed to keep up with her and when he finally got close enough, he reached out, grabbed ahold of her pant leg and cried out, “Mommy, I dropped my toy.”
In a momentary break from her phone call, she swished her head back, peered down and with a fiery red face shouted obscenities at that poor little thing no adult should ever have to hear.
It happens all the time. People are rude, thoughtless, arrogant and just plain out mean.
But Walmart isn’t the only place we that kind of unkindness. We find unkindness when we’re driving down the road, when we’re in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, when we’re at our kid’s baseball games, when we’re standing in line at the movie theater…
It even happens within the four walls of our happy homestead by the way we talk to our hubby or by the way we act or react to them.
Kindness should be the overflow of who we are as we abide in Christ but sometimes kindness is what we choose.
We may find it easier to put on a smiley face when we walk in the doors of the church, but harsh tones, rude words, constant complaining, incessant whining and a barrage of badgering all seem to surface when we walk in the doors of our homes.
But we are called to kindness. Not just to our brothers and sisters in Christ, not just to our friends and neighbors, not just to the girl behind the counter at the grocery store, but especially to our husbands and children.
In Romans 12:10, we’re commanded to…
“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another”
And in Ephesians 4:32, we’re told…
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
Kindness. It’s one of the fruits of the Spirit. It’s one of the ways we show our love and respect for others. It’s one of the ways we demonstrate Christ’s love in us.
Our kindness to others inspires kindness from others. And regardless of whether or not your kindness is reciprocated, no kindness we offer is ever wasted. Whether it’s a kind word or deed, our Father sees what we do and blesses us.
The next time you start to act unkind to your man, stop and ask yourself if the words you’re getting ready to say or the way you’re acting glorifies God? Is it a demonstration of love and respect or are you copping a rude ‘tude (justifiable or not) and being unkind?
Do you struggle with kindness? Do you find that your more kind to your friends and neighbors than you are your hubby? What are some ways you recommend we can be kind to our hubbies?
I am not more kind to others than I am to my husband. I just speak more honestly to my husband. No, not like that! I mean talking about my own thoughts and ideas. I don't do that so much with others.
I find that the more I invite God to work in me to transform me into the person he wants me to be, I am better all-around, including kindness.
When I 'forget' to do that inviting, my selfishness takes over. But when I get irritated with my husband, I find myself talking to myself saying, “It's not all about me.”