Be Kind

"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32 KJV On my living room wall there hangs a plaque which reads “Be kind” Ephesians 4:32 Silly me – I had believed that verse to be the Bible’s shortest! However, though the scripure is a bit longer than that, “Be kind” captures the full scripture’s essence. How difficult can it be to simply be kind? Yet events in the world today show how sadly lacking this attribute is! Imagine a world where kindness prevailed. Strangers you dealt with often on a daily basis smiled, were courteous and helpful, never being abrupt with you; parents disciplining their children practiced love and consideration; all people practiced the Golden Rule (another of my favorite scriptures); husbands showed tender-heartedness toward their wives and wives to their husbands the same. How could there be domestic violence and abuse if those in committed relationships understood the simplicity of being kind? How could the cycle of abuse continue if it were never started in the first place? It’s easy to be kind to friends and loved ones. But to those who have wronged us - forgiveness is the kindness that will set us free! Adultery, abuse in all its forms, rape, murder, and mayhem - all of these would cease to be if everyone were simply kind. June 5, 2020 for Chantelle Anne Cooke's Favorite Scripture Contest July 17, 2021 for 'A Brian Strand July 18' Poetry Contest