Page 20 - July ONLINE VERSION

nice for them because they realize that if they do, that you can do to show kindness. Even gestures
The Gold Standard for Kindness
By Donald L. Brown, Jr.
In this article, we will look at the true power of
kindness and how it can actually affect an entire
community. We'll have a look at the many aspects
of kindness and discover how they can bring about
positive changes, both in an individual’s life as well
as in the health and function of a community.
Now we've all heard the popular phrase that says,
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto
you." The phrase comes from the Bible, and it
means just what it says. Everyone wants to be treat-
ed right and everybody wants respect. However, you
can't demand respect. It must be earned.
Kindness, on the other hand, is something that
doesn't necessarily have to be earned. It is some-
thing that is performed regardless of the situation.
What does kindness do to an individual or to a
community to whom it has been delivered?
When was the last time someone did something
kind for you? What did it feel like? Were you excit-
ed, happy, elated, grateful or speechless? Most peo-
ple who have had kindness shown to them feel very
happy, speechless, and moved. Kindness stimulates
20 www.zoegracepublishing.com
positive feelings and can even bring about mem-
ories and so much more. It can stimulate certain
chemicals in our bodies that play a role in health.
God shows kindness to everyone, good or evil. His
very nature is that of kindness. This doesn't mean
that he won't judge them in the end, but He per-
forms acts of kindness in the hope that the individ-
ual will turn from their wicked ways.
Now, there are individuals who will use the kind-
ness of people to get what they want. However,
we come to the words of Christ who says that we
should do good regardless of the return. That is
very hard to take in. Why if they have had evil
done to them, should they be good to an evil per-
son?
Kindness can go a very long way. Take the idea of
Paying It Forward. This is a concept where you do
something kind for someone and then that per-
son goes out and repeats the gesture to somebody
else and so on. This is a rather popular way of
displaying kindness because it spreads so rapidly.
The question remains: why perform kindness? Do
you do it out of a genuine heart or do you do it
to get something back? Unfortunately, the reason
why people may do something kind is for a fruitful
return.
True Christians don't do this. They are kind with-
out hoping for anything back in return. This is the
way that it is supposed to be. If you do an act of
kindness to get something back, then is it really an
act of kindness or more of a selfish gesture?
Take for example when children really want some-
thing from their parents. They may do something
ZGP Magazine
they will receive what they want. Unfortunately, such as opening the door for someone or helping
this happens a lot in our society. Commonly re- load their groceries into or out of a person’s car.
ferred to as, for lack of a more official term, brown The point is not about the gesture, but that you
nosing. Kindness should be done out of honest
thought enough to extend the goodness of human-
selflessness and according to God’s urging. ity to another.
Some people perform acts of kindness to simply
brag about what they had done for the benefit of
recognition. This is not the way of genuine kind-
ness. Kindness should be done without the hope of
recognition or fame.
Kindness doesn't have to be elaborate; it can be
something really small such as paying for a meal,
a kind word to a fellow human, spending quality
time with a friend, comforting family in times of
trouble and so on. Believe it or not, it is these little
gestures of kindness that imprint an indelible im-
pression in the mind of the encouraged, It doesn't
take long to find something that you can do that There's just too much that one can do that can
will brighten a person's day. actually brighten someone's really bad day, and
believe me when that happens, it is never ever
forgotten either. Just remember, that the small acts
of kindness are really enough, and it is those small
things that hold the most power. The thing is; you
don't even have to know the person to be kind to
them either. All you need to do is to simply do it
and see what happens.
Perhaps one of the most common acts of kindness
that I have seen people do is to pay for someone's
meal at a restaurant. I have even seen this kind
of thing done in drive through lines at places like
McDonald's where the car in front paid for the
meal of people right behind them. Just think for
a moment that entire line of cars with everyone Donald L. Brown, Jr. is 56 years old and lives
paying for the meal of the person behind them and in Beaumont, Texas. Brown is legally blind but
so on. Imagine what that would look like! has never allowed that impairment to dampen
his ability to write.
What kinds of simple things can you do for people?
It all depends. Taking the time to listen to some-
one, offering to pick up something from the store,
or providing for necessities are just a few things
ZGP Magazine www.zoegracepublishing.com 21