More Gratitude, More Kindness

The world could stand some more kindness. Our world would benefit from more gratitude.

Gratitude and kindness have preoccupied my mind the past few days. In the past week, God has shown me many things to be grateful for and revealed to me numerous acts of kindness. Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with several hundred homeless men sheltering in Downtown Dallas at Union Gospel Mission. It was a great night filled with high energy and tons of emotion. Afterwards, I had the privilege of praying with dozens of men, some ready to receive Jesus as their Savior, others in need of healing and restoration through the power of prayer. Believers are not immune from the travesties of life. Being a Christian isn’t a cure-all from the ill-effects of living in a lost and fallen world. Yet, there’s lots to be grateful for.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV

When I got home, a little after 9 pm, I shared the events with my lovely Sweet T. We were both energized by how the Spirit of God was moving in the lives of the men down at UGMD and how we were seeing God at work in our own lives. Around 10 pm, Sweet T went to bed, while I continued to unwind from all the excitement. Seeing God at work feels good. It is good to see the Lord working in the lives of those whom He loves. I was really stoked.

Then the phone rang.

Life Alert.

My Mom had fallen and was being transported to the hospital. In that moment, I was grateful for the technology and the people who could respond to my Mom’s cry for help. I marveled at the kindness of the paramedics that rushed to her aid in the darkness of night.

I was even more grateful for the kindness of my Mom’s friends who responded to Midnight calls for help. One of her lifelong friends even sat with her at the hospital, making sure Mom was well looked after and being taken care of—and not alone.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!

1 Chronicles 16:34 ESV

Sweet T and I discussed a plan of action, knowing that I would be gone several days. We worked through our checklist as I prepared to leave town to look after Mom.

I am grateful for my loving wife and her compassion and understanding. Our world had been rocked from a huge high to a big low. But in the darkness shone the lights of gratitude and kindness. That’s what gratitude and kindness do—they shed the light of Christ onto the darkest hours, giving us hope and confidence—the faith that God will work on our behalf, our ever-present help in times of trouble.

I’m in awe of the kindness of doctors, nurses and hospital staff who make things better for others. I’m grateful for their compassion and willingness to put their skills to use to help others. They never see people at their best. They always encounter people traversing through an unexpected valley, readily intervening on their behalf.

The past few days since my Mom’s big fall, I’ve experienced gratitude and witnessed kindness at whole new levels because of a great mix of family, friends, and strangers. Gratitude and kindness must surely be two ingredients comprising goodness. Humility must be rooted in gratitude and kindness. After all, it’s hard to be full of yourself standing amid goodness.

Mom is doing better since her fall. She improves every day. Yes, the long and winding road to full recovery is fairly involved and complicated. But this too shall pass…

God is good all the time and all the time God is good.