A Simple Lesson On Kindness, What The Bible Teaches Us
Kindness is a powerful choice that reflects the fruit of the Holy Spirit and can quietly change lives, including your own.
There is power in great change through kindness. It is a gift given to the world. And it is a choice, whether to offer it freely or let it stay tucked away inside the heart, never reaching anyone else. Today, let’s talk about being kind.
I got an early start one day last week and found myself at the grocery store before there were even ten cars in the parking lot. I love getting there when the carts are neatly stacked and the deli line is not three deep.
It almost feels like a treat to wander down empty aisles with that first cup of coffee in hand.
15 Items Or Less
I did not have much to get, so I picked up what I needed and headed to the “15 items or less” checkout. I think I chose that line out of habit, even though the other lines were empty. But more than likely, it was the compliant side of me. If it says “15 items or less,” then that is exactly where I should be.
As I loaded my twelve items onto the counter, I noticed a sweet, very young man behind the register. He was wearing a crisp white shirt, a navy, white, and purple striped tie, and a shiny name tag that said Jason.
As he acknowledged me, I said, “Good morning, Jason.” He gave a small smile and looked up from under his black rimmed glasses.
A Morning Person
I am a morning person. I always have been and probably always will be. I wake up ready to meet the day.
Growing up, mornings in my home were very divided. My dad was a morning person. I can still picture him sitting at the kitchen table, already sipping coffee and reading the paper as I came down the stairs. Morning, darlin’! he would say in the happiest southern voice.
My mother was not quite the same. She preferred to ease into the day quietly, without much conversation or interaction. I do think she grew to enjoy mornings once all the children were out of the house. I have to wonder if that had something to do with it.
Daddy and I would talk, laugh, and solve the world’s problems together. It was something my mother never quite understood.
Back In The 15-Items Or Less Aisle
But back to the grocery store.
As Jason scanned my items, I mentioned his tie. “Jason, that is a very handsome tie.”
He looked surprised, and then a slow, sweet smile spread across his face. “Thanks,” he said. Then he added, “I thought I should wear a tie when I came to work. I bought another one so I would not have to wear the same tie every day.”
Oh my goodness. That was just about the sweetest thing. I wanted to hug him, but I thought that might be a little much.
He asked if I knew how to get the crinkle out of the top of his tie. I told him it looked just fine and that ties often do that. I also told him that when I was young, I went to a Scottish boarding school and wore a tie like his every day. That seemed to interest him, and since there was no one behind me, we chatted for a few minutes.
Then he said something I will not forget.
“You are so kind.”
Not Everyone Is Kind
What a lovely thing to say. And then he added, “Not everyone is kind.”
That caught me off guard.
“Well, shame on them if they aren’t,” I said.
As I placed my bag in the cart, he said quietly, “You would be surprised how many people aren’t nice when they shop. I guess that is just the way things are.”
I left the store feeling a little sad.
Sad that Jason, with his carefully chosen tie and kind spirit, had to spend his day being treated poorly by people passing through his line. Sad that people act that way. Sad about what causes it. Sad that it is brushed off as normal.
I kept thinking about that moment and how easily kindness is withheld.
Kindness is valuable. It is powerful. It has the ability to change someone’s day, and sometimes much more than that. Why is it so often given so sparingly?
Where Does Kindness Come From
Satan is the ruler of this world, at least for now. I believe every person comes into this world broken because of sin. On our own, we cannot consistently choose kindness, especially when it requires sacrifice. I know this because I know my own heart, and I trust what the Bible says.
But God gives the power to live differently.
Here’s what Galatians says…
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Gal 5:22-23
Only when the Holy Spirit takes up residence and we give Him control over our lives can we live a life of ongoing kindness.
He gives the power to live a godly life, no matter the circumstances. And kindness becomes a visible part of that life.
Jesus Changes Everything
I lived many years without Christ and without the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. Those years were marked by selfishness.
I could be kind when I felt like it. I could be cheerful when it was easy. But kindness was not a steady part of my life.
Now, there are still moments when I fall short. But I do not stay there. I can turn back, realign my heart, and keep going. And so can you.
There is real power living inside every believer. The Holy Spirit helps us live out kindness and all the fruit that comes with it.
Living The Life God Created You For
Do you have the power to live the life God created you to live? Are you becoming the person He made you to be?
Living with kindness, goodness, and joy, even when life feels hard, has quiet strength. It changes the way a day unfolds. It changes the way people are treated. It changes hearts.
Let’s choose to live the life God has given.
Here is a verse to hold onto…
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Col 3:12
Happy Sunday, friends…
Amen! In our world today we need kindness, love, and compassion. How blessed are we the believers!
Have a spirit thought day.
Yes, how blessed! Blessings upon blessings.
Yvonne, your words and meaning are so beautiful. God brings us such sweet kindness and it is up to us to spread it all over the world. I worked in retail for a few words and I realized how true it was to remember that it was my God given faith to spread kindness to each and every customer that came in the store. We never know what their story is. Amen!
I think about that often, Leslie. We never know what others are struggling with and a little kindness might make a great difference in someone’s day.
I love this post. My heart goes out to Jason with two ties and to all those like him who come into our lives each day. Human interaction can be so unnecessarily cruel. Giving a smile and a pleasant greeting costs us little but can change another’s life for the moment. How powerful is that?
So right, Penny
❤️
So true, Yvonne. Thank you for sharing your story with us today. A sweet reminder of kindness.
Kindness and Hope are my two favorite actions. I know that Love is the greatest of all, but somehow, in my life, kindness and hope seem to affect the most. And yes, where would we be without precious Holy Spirit?!! Your sweet post has made my day. Thank you for being you.
Thanks, Deb!
Good mornin’ darlin’! Thank you for this reminder. I am a 55 year old cashier at a lumber store. I was a counselor for 25 years previously. I’m retired now and I work part time to fill a few days. I dedicate each day to the Lord, asking Him to help me bless each customer with kindness and ultimately God’s love. I make a point of looking them in the eye and giving them a warm smile. Some are too busy to notice, but I think most appreciate it. There are such few personal 1:1 interactions in our lives now. People need this. They need the Lord. Many say, “wow, aren’t you happy!” It’s the perfect segue into sharing about how the joy in my heart comes from Jesus. This has happened on a few occasions and I’m so grateful for it. All these little seeds planted will grow into something bigger one day. Also, if they’re nasty or ignorant, I double down and “kill them with kindness!” It’s a win win!!!
Have a blessed day.
Sharon from New Brunswick, Canada
You are amazing, Sharon! I love your correct and godly attitude.
Love this little story! Such a good reminder to slow down and take opportunities to bless others. May people be able to say of us: “she is kind”!! God bless your day.
Yes! May the Holy Spirit work out his fruit in us.
What an inspiring post this morning Yvonne. I always remember something I was taught at work a smile does not cost a thing and you never know how it can brighten some ones day. The world is a different place then when I grew up everyone knew their neighbors and helped them whenever they could. We all need the Lord back into our hearts to manage our lives in the world today. Thank you for your wonderful post. Hopefully Jason finds more wonderful customers like you in the future and it will help him along life’s path.
Thank you for sharing, Beth. You are so right. And I think about Jason often.
Thank you for this sweet story and thank you for spreading kindness! Have a blessed day ❤️
May God bless your day too, Marcia.
Thank you for this today…I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and needed a reset. I bet your husband has a few ties to declutter and pass on to Jason. Hugs!
So cute! I hope you get out of the other side of the bed from here on out.
My husband and I always try to engage with, be kind to, and encourage people in service jobs. It’s unbelievable how rude and unkind so many people are to them. We’ve had some amazing conversations and since COVID tell them we’re going to pray for their health and safety. Then we ask if they have anything else they’d like us to pray about. Many do and some even share heavy burdens and thank us for praying!
I love this Vickie! I often ask how I can pray for them. Most of the time, they are very open and look so relieved!
Thank you, Yvonne. I really need this story today. I am, by nature, a calm kind person. I normally try to treat others as I would like to be treated. Sometimes Satan gives me a shove, but I give him a shove back. Kindness doesn’t cost anything so spend away. When I was hospitalized recently with cancer surgery, a man was cleaning my room. I asked him his name. Two days later, he was back. He was surprised that I remembered his name. We visited and found out he lived in the town where I went to college. He was so nice. Every day he came in and did “extra” cleaning just so we could visit. The day I was leaving he came in to wish me a speedy recovery. I made a new friend. Thank you for reminding me that love and kindness for our fellow man and woman is always the best way.
What a lovely story! Prayers for healing and health, Marian!
Every day they pass me by
I can see it in their eyes
Empty people filled with care
Headed who knows where
On they go through private pain
Living fear to fear
Laughter hides their silent cries
Only Jesus hears.
What a beautiful song and often people need only a friendly smile or kind word! Be a light to someone today.
Beautiful, Bev. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, how I love this story! I, too, try to interact with the cashier’s at the stores, restaurants, etc. that I go to. I always ask them about their day and thank them for working! I’m reminded that the people that God sends our way, our sent to us for a reason. We are the only Jesus that some may every see. May they see in us the One in whom is all they’ll ever need! So thankful for you and your Sunday postings! They always make my day!
You are so sweet,Cathy! Yes, God puts people in our path for a reason.
Kindness seems to have been forgotten by so many people. I try to tell everyone I see to have a good day. Some will say it back and others ignore me. A smile also may help another person have a good day too. I have Jesus in my heart all the time and I want to share Him with everyone I meet!
This world could certainly use more kindness in it.
I really enjoyed your grocery shopping line story. You are right , not
everyone is kind out in public as they should be.
Thanks for sharing.
You are so welcome, Sue!
Having been a born again believer for over 40 years, the Lord challenged me as I was praying after a very trying period we went through last year. He simply said, “I want you to be more kind and gracious.” My husband laughed and said but you are those things. I knew what the Lord meant, I am kind and gracious to those I like or respond well to me, but not to those who harm me . A challenge to change more of me, so Christ can be seen in me. Thanks Yvonne
Thank you for sharing about being kind to EVERYONE! I think we all struggle with being kind to those who aren’t to us.
Thank you for this message. I want to hug Jason myself! It is in the most unusual places that our kindness can have powerful affects. A good thing to keep in mind, because unfortunately Jason was right. Love you!!!
Thank you Melanie! ❤️
I love this story! I want to send Jason a few new ties and a pocket prayer square to brighten up his day. How can I get them to him?
I have not seen him at our local store for a while. How nice of you though.
Good morning,
I appreciate this story. You mentioned “I lived many years without Christ.”
Have you ever told on your blog how you came to know him?
I would love to hear about that.
Joan
I should write my testimony. Thanks for the idea, Joan.
Loved your story this morning. Unfortunately, I have to agree with Jason. I have been in retail for 30 years and still am. Most people I help are nice, but the ones I remember are the kind ones and the not so kind. I pray for the not so kind that God would change their spirit and put kindness in their heart. I still like coming to work and being a blessing to someone who needs it.
I love that you pray for the unlovely! What a position that gives you to pray that God fills their hearts. You are doing the Lords work quietly, my friend. God bless you.
I can totally relate to Jason, as I am sure many people who work in retail can. My very first job was as a supermarket cashier and for the first time in life, I had realized how many rude people were out there. It pushed me to want to do well in school, and not ever want to have a job like that again. It also showed me the type of person I did not want to ever become. To this day, I make an extra effort to be nice to cashiers to brighten their day, remembering full well what they deal with on a daily basis.
I love reading your posts on Sunday before I get ready for church. Thank you so much for reminding us to be kind.
You are so welcome, Judy. May the Lord fill you heart with this fruit of the Spirit.
I have tears in my eyes. This is so true. My sweet daughter is so very kind, but she is treated poorly by so many of her high school students. She comes home spent. Despite all of this, she has started a prayer meeting for teachers every Wednesday before school. Only 4 or 5 attend, but what a difference it makes in how they approach their day.
It’s sad when you think about why these students act the way the do. Everybody needs Jesus.
Yes, EVERYBODY needs Jesus. Praise God for your dear daughter.
Thank you for your kindness, sharing with Jason, realizing the impact kindness has on the one giving as well as the one receiving and most of all that the Bible reveals the blessings of kindness. Enjoy a spirit filled life and may others continue to see God working in your life. I love your Sunday morning posts.
Hi Barbara, thank you. I pray that the Sunday Scriptures on StoneGable blesses everyone who reads it.
Beautiful and so sweet. I try to be that kind person, especially in checking out at stores. I want to be remembered as kind – have a wonderful day!
I bet you will be! Kindness seems very important to you.
So very true. I always try to be kind, even when the recipient isn’t. I have found that it can turn that person’s demeanor around. A smile and/ or compliment can go so far and takes so little effort.
You are so right, Cindy. I wish more people made the little effort.
I truly enjoyed reading about kindness and your thoughts about it! I too like to practice small acts of kindness. I try to look for ways to put it into practice in my daily life! One thing I like to do is to remind someone who has given me a gift , is how much I enjoy it and how Ive been using it ! Happy Spring !
That is so important, Mary Ann. Thanks for reminding us.
What a lovely story-you truly made Jason’s day, and more. How nice that he made the effort to present himself as something more than the usual, and the good fortune that you noticed. So many service folks are somewhat “invisible” to most people and your post is so wonderful to remind us to pay better attention and compliment those (probably the majority) who may never receive much validation or thanks.
Well said, Lorrie.
This story of you and Jason reminded me of a time years back. On one of the worst days of my life instead of staying home I had to go to work… no work – no pay. Walking down the hall to my office I was greeted with a big smile and a Good Morning. I never realized before that how powerful just a smile could be! As stated – we don’t often know what another is dealing with. I pray each of us seizes the opportunities God gives us to bless another!
Me too, Rhonda. Thank you for sharing your story of kindness.
Lovely post and you are very kind just as Jason said.
Aww, Thank you Diana. God bless you.
Beautifully written. We all need to be a little kinder in our daily life. Thank you for the reminder of a kind word or just a smile and how it makes others feel.
Hi Kay, Thank you. I hope this blessed you.
Yvonne: I enjoy your blog because I am obsessed with decorating and your style is what I would like to achieve before I down size. Nevertheless, your post on kindness resonated with me. I am an online English professor and pretty worn out with lazy , often rude and non- academic responses from college students. I have recently started going out of my way to be kind because I have seen it modeled by some of our deans and especially the IT guys who really catch the short end of kindness. I also hope that in some way i am modeling my faith since I cannot bring it up at all in a state college. In the words of Robert Frost : ‘It has made all the difference” in the responses I get back!!! Thanks for the post!!
God bless you, Patricia. Teaching where you can’t tell the ultimate truth must be very hard! Showing our faith is how we can speak JESUS without words.
I absolutely LOVE this story! Thank u so much for sharing! YES everyone needs Jesus!! And isn’t it so amazing, that the Fruits of the spirit, are what everyone needs most, and they cost us zero! They are free. What a different world it would be if everyone could practice kindness. I have a plaque that says, “Love me when I least deserve it, bcz that is when I need it the most”. So true. We have no idea what others are going through to make them unkind. Perhaps if we could go out of our way to show a bit of kindness, it could help whatever is hurting them. It is easy to love lovable people. Let’s try to practice this always.
God bless you for this post!
I love what that plaque says too! So true. Thanks for sharing, Shelley.
This was simply beautiful! It was just what I needed to hear. I look forward to your Sunday messages each week — thank you!
You are so welcome, Barb.
I had a similar thing just yesterday. Four of us friends were out for lunch to celebrate a birthday. Our waitress, was great! She knew just when to come to our booth and when to stay away. She was a fun gal. When we were at the register I told her how we were happy that she was our waitress. She looked up at me, somewhat startled and said she had enjoyed us as well. I thought about that throughout the day and I knew that had just made her day. The look in her eyes and her smile said a lot, and it didn’t cost me a thing to show a bit of kindness!
This is so beautiful! I think of how our world could be changed if everyone would just be kind to one another. Thank you Jesus for helping us to be kind!
Yes, Thank you Jesus for helping us to be kind!
You reminded me that we never know what is going on in someone’s heart, mind and soul. We can uplift them or degrade them, by not only our words, but our actions. A small gesture can mean a lot; you may never know what difference an encouraging word can make. Blessings, sweet lady.
Oh, so so true! I think about that often.
This is such a simple message yet packed with a punch! Oh how true and powerful a reminder to be kind. We never know who might need just a simple smile or hello for them to feel seen or just to even hear their name.
Yvonne, I think your sweet story with the young man in the check-out line will stick with me too. You are a great storyteller and I can picture it so clearly in my mind. Thank you for sharing and making a difference in my life with your devotions. You are a great teacher!
Blessings to you my precious sister in Christ…
Aliecia
Hi Aliecia, I’m glad this story was a reminder to you. It is to me too!
This little message is going to stay with me. I was so touched by it. (Made me teary). Thank you, Yvonne, for reminding me that kindness is a gift we can freely give. Also, you should write a devotional!
Now there is a fantastic idea!
I agree, Eleanor
Hi Joie, God bless you!
What a beautiful story. Those on the front lines (drive-through windows and check out lanes) often bear indifference from others, or downright rudeness. Thank you for sharing. What a positive reminder that we should always greet others with kindness and notice those God brings into our day.
You are so right, we should always greet others with kindness and notice those God brings into our day. So right!