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Human kindness is in demand

By Reverend W. Flemon McIntosh Jr. | The News Herald

Published: August 5, 2009

There was the card hanging in the window which read, "The milk of human kindness never curdles." Close by was another asking the question, "If you were arrested for being kind, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" These are thoughts all human beings should consider.

Kindness is in short supply in the world and the demand is very high. Watch the TV news, read the daily newspaper and listen to your radio. Everyday you see, read and hear about man's inhumanity to man. Many times your heart goes out to the victims as you become depressed over the acts.

There are many unkind acts that are not reported through the news media. Countless numbers of people are the recipients of unkind acts daily. Many take place in the home, on the job, in the streets and, believe it or not, sometimes in church.

My father had a saying I still believe: "Better a little kindness while living than an extravagant floral display at the grave." I love beautiful flowers for the living, but I have a nasty taste in my system when I see them at a funeral. It would be so nice to place flowers on the altar each Sunday morning to the glory of God and life and in honor of someone dear to you. After the service, reclaim the flowers and present them with love and kind words to the individual you honor. The recipient will have an opportunity to smell, see and enjoy the blooms.

From time to time we see folks in positions of supervision and responsibility who tend to forget the folks under them are human beings. In trying to assert themselves and trying to impress their supervisors, they forget human kindness. We should remind them that they will not be always on top. The tide goes out, but it always comes back in. You meet the same people on your way down that you stepped on while climbing the ladder. Some people simply cannot handle positions of trust and authority. No person is too big to be kind, but many are too little.

It is sad that we have people seriously ill and suffering from jealousy, envy, malice and the evil mind. They do not know what it is to be kind. They never have kind words to say about others. They will pounce on and join in with any cause that will bring heartaches and hurts to others.

Kindness is the oil that takes the friction out of life. As the writer states, "Be kind to everybody. You never know who might show up on the jury at your trial." Yes, one day there will be the trial of all trials. This is when our every deed will be laid out before us. Our earthly connections will not help us then, at our very last trial.

In talking to two managers of local eating establishments, I was shocked to hear the same observation from each. They talked about the attitudes of some people on Sunday after church who come in for lunch. Decked out in their Sunday dress and looking good, some really give the waitresses a hard time over nothing. And, I must say, most of the eating places in Morganton have done outstanding job in training their waitresses to be nice and kind. Still, some in the public treat them rudely. We should be nice to people when they are doing their best to make a customer comfortable and to serve with kindness. It does not cost anything to be nice and kind to others.

The art of being kind is a virtue and blessing. C.N. Bouee put it this way: "Kindness: A language which the dumb can speak, and the deaf can understand." Penn puts more light on the subject by saying, "I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again."

Before we can be kind, we must have kind thoughts. Make this your daily prayer: "Lord, let me be a little kinder; let me be a little blinder to the faults of those about me; let me praise a little more. Let me be a little meeker with the brother that is weaker. Let me think more of my neighbor and a little less of me." And just in case you have not read it, please turn to Ephesians 4:32, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Amen.

The Rev. W. Flemon McIntosh, Jr is the senior columnist for The News Herald.