Kind Is Not A Four-letter Word

“Why is hate so easy and love so difficult?” (Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry, p. 328)

Coach Tom Izzo, when he was asked about the reaction of disgruntled fans to another loss, lamented how Michigan State ‘fans’ took to Twitter to lambast his players, the teenagers he was trying to coach into becoming better athletes and men.  The following morning, on a sports talk show, the hosts discussed Coach Izzo’s complaints. One of the hosts, a woman, proposed that sports fans using Twitter and other social media be a little more kind to each other. The rest of the panel, in unison, laughed out loud at her preposterous suggestion.

A Facebook Friend posted a lament about her close family friend who had blocked her entire family after their Facebook posts revealed that they held differing political opinions. Comments came from several other who had likewise been ‘un-friended’ by Friends because of the hate they have towards each others’ political opinions.  My Friend asked, “Can’t we just be kind to each other?”

The answer right now is ‘no’, we are all buying into divisive, bullying speech driven by the easy emotion of hate.  God’s people are supposed to be driven not by hate but by love. And this is perhaps the challenge God’s people can meet: to give the act of being kind a revival. It will require great sacrifice and greater humility. It will require thick skin, and maybe even formation of support groups for the kind.  But, there is no shame in being kind to your friends or your enemies. You are not ‘selling out’ if you refuse to engage in hateful speech or writing every time someone offends your pet political or social views.  When people attack your views with name-calling and narrow-minded labels, do not respond with hate.

Love them by being kind.  Pray for your social media ‘enemies.’ Remain their “Friend”. Don’t post things about them in social media that you would not say to their faces. Try to be more kind.

Let your kind responses serve as salt, bringing some good flavor to a tasteless society. (Matthew 5:13) ‘God, help me to be believe that ‘kind’ is not a four-letter word. It is a pathway to peace. Amen.’