Love is Kind

“Thank you for your kindness.”

“That was very kind of you.”

“You have been so kind to me.”

How often have you read or heard these statements when you experienced the thoughtfulness of others?

As St. Paul writes in the thirteenth chapter of his First Letter to the Corinthians, “Love is kind.”

William Penn wrote, “I expect to pass through life but once, if therefore, there can be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow human being, let me do it now, and not defer nor neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.”

Kindness exists in the act of generosity, thoughtfulness, friendship, and helpfulness.

Being kind exists three phases of daily living, in one’s thoughts, in one’s words, and in one’s actions.

There is a progression from thinking to speaking to doing.

Your thoughts influence your words and body language and behavior.

No one sees kind thoughts, except the one who is thinking those thoughts.

Thoughts of kindness are formed in words and attitudes.

Kind thoughts are ones that excuse imperfections, seek, and find the best in oneself and another person.

Kind thoughts are gentle, mild, and tender.

Kind words flow from kind thoughts.

Let’s look at the three types of treasuring messages that offer kind words to yourself and others.

Admiring words (which we’ll cover more in “Love is Not Jealous”) express the goodness you see in others for a specific trait or behavior.

Encouraging words express confidence and belief in another’s ability to do something of value.

Appreciating words express the gratitude for another’s relationship – their words, actions, and behavior towards you.

On the spiritual plane, God is the source of all love, and that includes kindness.

Many of the biblical books focus on the “loving-kindness” of God.

Being kind to God involves praise, worship, and adoration. Speaking well of God to others. Honoring God’s Name and presence in all things at all times.

Being kind to yourself means treating yourself well, respecting yourself, taking care of your body, mind, and spirit.

Speaking kind words to yourself, giving yourself a break when you mess up. Forgiving past mistakes. Being tender and gentle with yourself.

Being kind to others means treating them with the same respect, care, forgiveness, gentleness, mildness that you give yourself.

Expressing kindness is a lifelong journey.

Kindness is a traveling companion that guides our thoughts, words, and actions.

To ask kindness to join us on life’s journey is to act at the moment.

Kind thoughts. Kind words. Kind deeds.

As William Penn wrote, we pass through life but once; let’s make sure we think, say, do kind things now, and not defer or deflect them until later.

Go on to read the third attribute of Love, “Love is Not Jealous.”