Kindness from strangers

By: Carole L. Haines

I was having a particularly rough day, emotionally, yesterday; but God met me in a way so unexpected. I received an e-mail about registering for a training class I had been wanting to take.  The notice had been sent only 3 days before the class was happening.  I gently sent a reply, asking if I could be given more notice in the future.  The precious and sensitive response that I received back, blew me away.  This was definitely not a computer answering me.  I was being contacted by a Real and True Sister in Christ.  Her words of apology and the efforts she made to try to accommodate my desire to take the class were truly from the heart.  We have emailed back and forth, total strangers mind you, encouraging and blessing each other in the Lord a couple of times.  God is so good, that even when Brothers and Sisters in Christ are not speaking face to face, The Holy Spirit can enable us to bless each other through electronic communications.  Our God is not hindered by technology, nor is He rendered powerless to work through it.  We can bless each other by being careful how we speak even in e-mails.  Kindness, Courtesy, and Respect can be felt, by the way in which we write, speak and look at one another.  Non-verbal communication is just as important as verbal.  We can all tell when there is insincerity, even when the right words are spoken.  I love these verses from Scripture:

¹² So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. ¹⁴ Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3)

So speak gently to that store clerk, that Delivery person, that neighbor, or that co-worker.  Speak kindly with words, actions, tone of voice, and body language.  We can sometimes turn someone’s day around just by being the Kindness of the Lord to them.