Kindness opens the door to a holy flow of God’s eternal love. When everything’s well, it comes naturally. Yet, as difficulties, chaos, and pain become more frequent, we must ensure that kindness is woven into all we do and say.
Last year, I brought a kindness plan to my classroom. I taught my students to communicate positively and to show acceptance and kindness toward others so we might build confidence in the group. They also learned to model attention, display emotional warmth, and speak with gentleness. I taught them that a good attitude includes humility therefore, we ask for help. We also use warm tones in written communication.
I prayed extensively for this plan after a miserable spring semester filled with unkind treatment from students, parents, and even staff. As a result, I suffered from a steady stream of tears and a scary case of high blood pressure. The only reason the madness ended was that the school year ended. In light of that, I determined to do all I could so my people, those 140 souls I spend each week with, would embrace the beauty of kindness during our next school year.
I worked hard to create the statements and make them attractive, and it worked. It’s no surprise – kindness is always appealing. People everywhere long for it and hope they can expect it from others.
I also used icebreaker questions frequently and shared my answers too. My students liked hearing about my experiences. And, even when I had insecurities, or thought my answers might bore them, I shared, by faith in this great experiment. Then it happened. By setting expectations of kindness and asking just one question each day, we learned about each other and related authentically. Trust grew and kindness prevailed.
Separately, my usual phone calls home continued, but I looked for extended opportunities to show kindness to parents. Parenting is hard. I found out that a struggling student’s father had a stroke and Mom could barely hang on. We started lunch tutoring, and after only a few times, the boy was caught up and there was a love-based connection between him and me and Mom. Other calls home revealed a student who needed more food. Another was being raised by a desperate grandparent who needed coaching in technology. Sometimes I found parents simply needed to hear that their child was loved and appreciated. Each contact held kindness at the center and opened the door for love-based, ongoing communication with relational outcomes.
Throughout the year, kindness included asking more questions of others, then listening a little longer, and without distraction, so I could give them a chance to share and to know they were important to someone. Every person is hungry for kindness and, frankly, so am I. We all do better when we’re under an umbrella of peace, warm smiles, and sacrificial help on our behalf – when our voice is heard and we feel valued. Otherwise, we are invisible. We honor others by listening to their story and offering empathy.
Meanwhile, this beautiful gift of kindness is reciprocal. I never intended it this way but, the love and kindness these students extended to me was a salve during a difficult year at home. For nine months I provided care for my husband who fought incredible pain, multiple surgeries, sleepless nights, helplessness, uncertainty, and immobility. When I showed up at school after doing chores since 5:30 that morning, and bore concerns about who might get my husband to his doctor’s appointment that day, my students routinely offered me kindness, even though they knew nothing about my morning. And that’s how it works. We don’t have to know everything to love others well.
Overall, weaving kindness into our words and actions creates a beautiful tapestry. I thank God that, in a world where chaos is normal we can help calm the waters for others. This mission of kindness in my classroom is a lifestyle everyone can live and it is one of the best gifts we can give.
Prayer: Dear Lord, empower us to model Your kindness for You are righteous in all Your ways and kind in all Your works (Ps 145:17). And, use Your kindness through us to soften the hearts around us and prepare them for salvation because it is “Your kindness that leads us to repentance oh Lord” (Rom 2:4).
Consider: How can you plan kindness toward the people in your world?
Other verses to read: Deut 20:4; 2 Chron 20:15; Ps 11:7, 33:4-5, 145:17; Pv 16:7; Rom 2:4; 1 Pet 3:8-17, 4:8.
