Kindness is King
Have you ever skimmed a Facebook post where those who leave comments pick someone apart? They point out every flaw that they have judged to be present in the person and tear them down with ridicule, scoffing at everything they do. After reading through these comments, I feel so disheartened about people that I walk away wondering why I ever scrolled through FB to begin with.
But, isn't this what we do everyday? Talk with our close friends about all the things we don't like about someone else.
"That family is too noisy."
"That older man is with a younger woman. What does she see in him?"
"She cheated on her husband. How could she leave her kids?"
The list goes on and on, "She definitely did something to her face."
"Too much makeup!"
We sit in judgement of others. Exactly what we do to ourselves when we look in the mirror, laser-focused on our flaws- our new wrinkles, our flakey skin.
It's a Feeling
These perpetual thoughts of what is wrong with ourselves and others keeps us feeling bad, down in the dumps. Our emotions are keys to where we are in our spiritual advancement. We are meant to be in peace and to "feel" good. When we feel good, we know we are walking with God. This is the gauge - the barometer that tells us we are living our best life.
It is human nature to want to find something in another that makes us feel better about ourselves. We scan the crowd looking for people who make us feel better about ourselves and then to convince ourselves, we tell others what we've found. When they agree and confirm we feel justified, but this will never bring us true happiness or joy. It will keep us in a viscious cycle and get us nowhere. We'll wake up one day and feel depressed. We won't know why. We have no idea that we've sown seeds of depression that have now borne fruit.
Seeds of Joy
Today, sew some seeds of kindness. Kind thoughts become happy thoughts and bring joy.
The next time you realize you are being judgmental in your thoughts, resist the urge to keep it going. When you are talking with someone and you notice something to be "judgy" about, simply stop and remember they were created by God, who only creates perfection. The person is literally going through the same thought process as you and at some level of the mind, knows what you are thinking.
If you knew they knew what you were thinking would you have that thought?
Instead, find something you can embrace about them. They have a nice smile or they really do know a lot about whatever they are talking about. Be open to learn from them. Remember, if you listen, Jesus may speak to you. He speaks to you in your mind, when you quiet the ego and listen during meditation, but He also speaks to you in your conversations with others.
The Strength of a Tree
Be strong in those moments when you want to join in a conversation that is negative toward someone else. Don't start the conversation, either. Instead, be mindful of your thoughts and begin to find something positive to say or lead the conversation in a new, kinder direction.
God said don't sit in the seat of scoffers. Be like a tree firmly planted, yielding fruit in your season and in whatever you do, you prosper. Book 1, Psalm 1.
Kindness is King.
See Jesus in everyone and know that it is your thoughts that He will hear. Think loving thoughts for whomever you meet and the fruit in the next season of your life will be sweet and delicious.
All my best,
Lisa
