When covid-19 was declared a global pandemic, love and kindness oozed out of people. Stories of people helping others circulated. Videos of the people in Italy singing on their balconies warmed our hearts. Where are the kindness stories and videos now?
Now that we’re many months into this global pandemic it seems kindness has evaporated out of our world. The animosity is thick and quite discouraging.
Dealing with living in a global pandemic is hard enough in so many ways, but adding the lack of kindness makes it worse.
WHERE IS IT
I went looking for kindness. I asked for kindness stories. When I asked for kindness stories a few years ago I collected 22! This time around I was given only 4. It made me so very sad.
Are people so busy focusing on what is wrong in our world that they can’t find it in their heart to be kind?
What is being kind anyway? Is it just being nice or polite? No. Being kind is much more than not being mean.
Kindness is a quality of being. It flows out of the heart.
It’s being gentle, caring, helpful, friendly, generous and considerate.
Kindness is generosity of heart.
WHAT IS HAPPENING
At the beginning of this year, 2020, the focus was set on clarity of vision. This changed as the pandemic rocked our world as well as everyone’s plans and goals.
But instead of clarity of vision being lost as many supposed, we see very clearly what is in people’s hearts manifesting in their lives. We’re seeing a lack of kindness because these words are true.
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. —Luke 6:45 NLT
Another version says what the heart is full of, or the overflow.
The good thing is there’s hope though.
Whenever we find ourselves producing any kind of evil (because no one is perfect) we can change what we’re filling our hearts with. We can choose what we want to come out of us, and fill our hearts with that.
I want to be kind – God help me.
WHAT KINDNESS LOOKS LIKE
As I said, kindness isn’t about being polite or nice. It’s generosity of heart.
Being kind is responding with grace and forgiveness in the face of meanness. It’s going the extra mile to help others.
Being kind can even be allowing someone else to help you because kindness is seen in both giving and receiving.
Being kind is showing love because love is kind.
Kindness looks like love and brings people together.
SEEING KINDNESS
Although I was only given 4 kindness stories I have some of my own to add. Here I’ll share some places where kindness has been found during this global pandemic.
—I have so many friends that do amazing things for me. I have a friend that always checks to see if I need anything from town each time she goes, and she’ll pick up anything I need. A neighbor came over and prepared meals for me while I was sick. I love them so much. And another friend who is a widower goes to doctor’s appointments with my husband, and my husband goes with him. It provides such a sense of comfort to me.
—My new neighbors from El Salvador vacuumed and mopped for me.
—I have an amazing church family and support team for my bipolar. My family has been going through some rough times and everyone I ever ask is always willing to lift us up in prayer, and some even go above and beyond to be there for us in our time of need, as we do for others as well. We are so blessed!
—One of our neighbors built a treehouse for his kids and became the catalyst for three more in the neighborhood. This brought people together meeting one another and sharing tools to accomplish the task.
—One of our neighbors started a thing called ‘play on the porch’ that blossomed into what some have called the neighborhood dance party. Even people we didn’t know who passed by on their bikes, or out walking, would stop, take in the kindness and go home with a smile.
—Many of the neighbors who were part of the ‘play on the porch’ brought things to give everyone. Things like homemade jam, tomato plants, flowers and popsicles.
—Someone I don’t know placed a rock painted as a ladybug in my flowerbed.
—A neighbor gave me lily of the valley plants from their yard because I’d tried planting them before without success.
—A lady I don’t know put up a notice in our neighborhood about collecting returnables for her boy scout troupe when there was a ban on returning them. The awesome part is she came and picked them up.
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32
BOTTOM LINE
Our world needs more kindness. We need love. So no matter where you stand on all the issues raging in our world please be kind.
TAKE ACTION
- Where can you be kinder?
- Share in the comments something kind you’ve done and seen during this pandemic.
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Thank you for finding some kindness. The lack of it has made me so depressed.
I’m so sorry you’ve been struggling with depression but so thankful I was able to help.
Sending love and prayers.