If you asked people in our culture if they were kind people, most would probably answer in the affirmative. Many of us believe our default is that we are kind, considerate people that are helpful and positive. When the pandemic began, many of us expressed kindness in new ways from leaving dog treats on our driveways for people walking their dogs, to making signs of encouragement, to allowing people in front of us at stores. When everything slowed down, many of us expressed kindness in visible ways. As we have went through the months since then our expression of kindness towards others has decreased. Lines have become more annoying, life has picked up pace and there seems less and less time for doing nice things. Many of us have slipped back into a rhythm of self and making it through the day. We feel we have less time to focus on others or spontaneous needs. Paul, in his letter to Timothy again gives us a key to thriving in 2022.
2 Tim1:16 May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in chains. 17 When he came to Rome, he searched everywhere until he found me. 18 May the Lord show him special kindness on the day of Christ’s return. And you know very well how helpful he was in Ephesus.
Key 4 – Active Kindness
Paul was writing to Timothy to encourage him to treat Onesiphorous well because of how well Onesiphorous treated Paul. Paul knew there were people who respected him, who loved him, who wanted the best for him, but the people who were active in their kindness were the ones who left an impact. Paul went as far as to mention how Onesiphorous went above and beyond and searched until he found him. That movement of active kindness left a mark on Paul’s life and encouraged him when he was in a lonely, difficult time.
The amazing thing that happens when our lives become about active kindness to others is that our focus comes off of our situation and narrows in on others. Also, when we focus on others, it does something in us – we become more joyful, more relaxed, more at peace. When we spend our mental energy focusing on how we can show kindness to others we become freer and we begin to dream on how we can help others. Even when life seems hectic or overwhelming when we show active kindness to someone else, something in us opens up and we experience joy and hope.
To thrive in 2022, I think we all need to step into a lifestyle of active kindness. That could be calling an old friend, providing a meal to someone who is going through a tough time, sending a note of encouragement, paying for the coffee of someone behind you, babysitting your friend’s kids for a night, buying the special treat your spouse enjoys. A key to thriving is loving others through active kindness and then we will truly be known as kind people.