Unexpected Kindness

In a world where you can be anything, be kind.

-Author Unknown

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

— Aesop

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

-Colossians 3:12

The best and most beautiful

things in the world cannot be

seen or even touched- they must be felt with

the heart.

-Helen Keller

Today’s Sunday School lesson was about the story of Ruth. If you are not familiar, I’ll summarize briefly:

Ruth was one of two daughter-in-laws to a lady named Naomi. All 3 women lost their husbands and were widows. During that time, widowed women commonly returned to live with other family members after their husbands passed away. The lady, Naomi, had one daughter-in-law return to her own family.  The other daughter-in-law, Ruth, chose to stay with and take care of Naomi as she returned to her hometown of Bethlehem with her extended family.

There was a man there who was a relative of Naomi’s late husband named Boaz. He owned barley fields. Naomi encouraged Ruth to go behind the servants in the field and glean any barley they had dropped. The owner of the field, Boaz, noticed Ruth, found out who she was, and told his servants to drop extra grain so she and Naomi would have enough to eat. He also made sure that Ruth was safe while she worked in the barley field. 

Eventually, Ruth and Boaz married, but his character of kindness was obvious long before there was any kind of romantic relationship between the two. 

Today it struck me as I was listening to the lesson, of how Ruth was an extremely kind and selfless person. She stayed with her mother-in-law instead of returning to her own original family. She promised her complete loyalty to Naomi forever. 

Then almost as if they were kindred spirits destined to find each other, Boaz meets Ruth and treats her with similar kindness. It melts my heart a little to think of those two very kind, thoughtful, giving people finding and eventually loving each other forever. 

I don’t know about you, but kindness seems pretty rare to me these days. Most people are so self-absorbed or busy, they don’t take the time to extend kindness to another person. It’s like they just don’t care to be bothered with it. 

Whenever the rare occasion happens, that I meet someone who is gentle and kind, it stops me in my tracks. To feel like I’m not bothering someone or inconveniencing them is something extremely rare and special. 

So many times I feel the simple act of kindness is downplayed in today’s world. But I honestly don’t understand why? Why are success, titles, money, etc. considered more valuable? None of those things truly bring contentment, peace, friendship, true intimacy, love.

I’m an introvert, but I hope others recognize the kindness I try to mindfully extend to them. Not because I’m anyone important, but because I know what it feels like to have kindness extended to me. Kindness that I didn’t have to earn. Kindness without expectations. Kindness because that’s who God is. 

I originally created this blog so people reading it could feel a sense of kindness and friendship and to know that they weren’t alone. God is always there extending His loving kindness to each one of us, even when we can’t sense it.

The following song, You’re Carrying Me, popped up on Pandora the other day. To me it gives a real sense of how loving and kind God is towards us. I hope you enjoy it. Blessings!

Your friend,

Tiffany

You’re Carrying Me

Unexpected kindness, I turn my face to You

Surrounded by Your mercy, I’m falling into You

[Pre-Chorus]

I’m waiting, You’re running and I lean into You

[Chorus]

You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me

And I choose to trust You, Lord

You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me

And I choose to trust You, Lord

[Verse 2]

I don’t know the future but I place my hope in You, hm-mm-mmm

As You call me forward, I’m falling into You

[Pre-Chorus]

I’m waiting, You’re running and I lean into You

My burdens are falling as I lean into You

[Chorus]

You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me

And I choose to trust You, Lord

You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me

And I choose to trust You, Lord

You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me

And I choose to trust You, Lord

You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me

And I choose to trust You, Lord

[Bridge]

I’m waiting, You’re running and I lean into You, woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-ohh

My burdens, they are falling as I lean into You, oh

[Chorus]

You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me

And I choose to trust You, Lord

You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me

And I choose to trust You, Lord

Refrain]

I trust You, I trust You, I trust You, hm-mm-mm-mm-mm

I trust You, I trust You, I trust You