The other day I found out a new friend was having some pretty big relationship stuff going on. I instantly thought, “She needs ice cream.” I was headed over by Salt & Straw but as my meeting was winding down I began to make up reasons why I shouldn’t buy her a pint and write her a card. First of all what if she was lactose intolerant or on a diet? Good forbid she was one of those odd people who doesn’t like chocolate. Would it seem like too much? Or like I was making too little of the issue? It’s so much easier to just go about my normal life and not to risk being kind to someone else. After really thinking about it, I ended up buying the ice cream and writing her a little card. The next time I saw her she gave me a huge hug and said, “What I didn’t tell you was my grandma died the same day. I really needed that. Thank you.”
Part of the luxury of being the pastor of this new start is that living kindness gets to be a big part of my ministry of presence in the community. Where can I give love, show up, care for others, and spread light? That is the question I get to ask myself every morning as I contemplate the day ahead. Of course throughout the day I end up in places of doubt, like when buying the ice cream. These really are times of wondering if my kindness will be properly received and appropriately appreciated. Why should I bother with being kind if I don’t get the right response? I’ve gone out of my way for people in the past only to have them take advantage or denigrate my attempts. But I know the sort of world I would rather live in and I know the kind of world God dreams for us. So I choose kindness as often as I can remember who I belong to. While sometimes my attempt falls flat more often than not I find my breath taken away by the small way God has called me to serve and to touch the life of another. It’s not in the end about if they respond appropriately, but rather about how I’m helping the kingdom of heaven to be at hand here and now.
-Eilidh
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