When I think about people being genuinely kind to each other, the absolute friendliest person I know is my dad. Always smiling and chatting, he’s the type of individual that really gets to know people.
In the town I grew up in, he can walk into the local bank and say, “Hello!” to the majority of bank tellers by first name. When he was still working, he would take the time to invest in each person on his team and throughout most of the office at large, making people feel appreciated as individuals, not just as numbers. Even into his retirement, he has been known to randomly drop by the office with a big pink box of doughnuts as a Friday treat to his former employees.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
When looking at the news, it’s so easy to get discouraged. My news app is filled with headline titles involving crime, violence, climate change, racism, death, coronavirus. Sometimes as Christians and just individuals in general, we wonder if we can make a positive difference in our world with such sadness, heartache, and despair about. And truthfully, we CAN make a difference. Perhaps it may seem small, but if we can all do our part to help one another and extend kindness to the people we encounter, our world will surely become a better place.
A smile. A warm, “Hello!” Fresh warm cookies hand delivered to a neighbour. Surprise flowers for your children’s teachers. Using please and thank you. A note or text message of appreciation. A hug. There are so many possibilities to express our friendliness and kindness for those around us. Let’s all be ready to do our daily part of spreading love, kindness, and helping create the sense of togetherness.
I’m not sure I will ever be able to keep up with my dad because he just seems to radiate the warmth and smile of Jesus more than most, but I sincerely hope that I am bringing at least a fraction of his kindness and caring into my community. Happy early Father’s Day, Dad!
Do everything in love.
1 Corinthians 16:14
Joy A. Mead 
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