Proverbs 15:1
A kind answer
soothes angry feelings,
but harsh words
stir them up.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have all but given up Facebook in the last few days, so if I have not “liked” something you posted – or commented – I am not trying to be a snob. I am just tired of the ugliness and have decided I don’t need that poison infiltrating my heart and mind. I’ve seen a meme circulating lately that says “Be kind…for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” I also saw one that said, “LISTEN and SILENT are spelled with the same letters…think about it!” And then there is this quote from Mark Twain…”Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
This week, a lot of unkindness and “harsh words” are circulating. I’ve read some truly ugly comments that have been hurled at people who are disappointed about the election outcome, which pretty well sparked my decision to say “No!”to much participation in Facebook. People who are genuinely grieving and/or frightened about losing such things as health care benefits - or even their home in this country – are being belittled and called all sorts of names, including “sore losers” (which is actually one of the nicer ones). Some have said that it’s the “everybody gets a trophy syndrome.” These judgments are unkind - and unfair. There is beauty in losing graciously…but the same can be said for winning, as well.
Why don’t we all take off the gloves and focus on kindness for a change. Why not look at those you meet and remember that they are fighting a battle of which you know nothing. Why not recognize that we all have feelings…and the other person’s are just as real – and just as significant – as yours or mine. We have all been on the losing end of something. We’ve all had times when we were worried or concerned…and feeling unheard – or worse yet, put down – just makes it all that much worse. And we haven’t even talked about how this grieves God. When His children inflict pain on one another, He is NOT pleased!
Let’s take a collective breath. Let’s look at “the other guy” with the eyes of Jesus and recognize that he/she has genuine feelings…joys, fears, victories, defeats, moments of elation and times of tremendous sorrow…and let’s be kind - and maybe even silent. In many cases, we are trying to fight a battle that really isn’t ours to engage.
So let’s let go...and let God handle things for a while. I’m pretty sure He’ll do a far better job, anyway.
©2016 Debbie Robus
A kind answer
soothes angry feelings,
but harsh words
stir them up.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have all but given up Facebook in the last few days, so if I have not “liked” something you posted – or commented – I am not trying to be a snob. I am just tired of the ugliness and have decided I don’t need that poison infiltrating my heart and mind. I’ve seen a meme circulating lately that says “Be kind…for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” I also saw one that said, “LISTEN and SILENT are spelled with the same letters…think about it!” And then there is this quote from Mark Twain…”Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
This week, a lot of unkindness and “harsh words” are circulating. I’ve read some truly ugly comments that have been hurled at people who are disappointed about the election outcome, which pretty well sparked my decision to say “No!”to much participation in Facebook. People who are genuinely grieving and/or frightened about losing such things as health care benefits - or even their home in this country – are being belittled and called all sorts of names, including “sore losers” (which is actually one of the nicer ones). Some have said that it’s the “everybody gets a trophy syndrome.” These judgments are unkind - and unfair. There is beauty in losing graciously…but the same can be said for winning, as well.
Why don’t we all take off the gloves and focus on kindness for a change. Why not look at those you meet and remember that they are fighting a battle of which you know nothing. Why not recognize that we all have feelings…and the other person’s are just as real – and just as significant – as yours or mine. We have all been on the losing end of something. We’ve all had times when we were worried or concerned…and feeling unheard – or worse yet, put down – just makes it all that much worse. And we haven’t even talked about how this grieves God. When His children inflict pain on one another, He is NOT pleased!
Let’s take a collective breath. Let’s look at “the other guy” with the eyes of Jesus and recognize that he/she has genuine feelings…joys, fears, victories, defeats, moments of elation and times of tremendous sorrow…and let’s be kind - and maybe even silent. In many cases, we are trying to fight a battle that really isn’t ours to engage.
So let’s let go...and let God handle things for a while. I’m pretty sure He’ll do a far better job, anyway.
©2016 Debbie Robus
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