“It’s like having open heart surgery without the
anesthetic.” With a cavalier attitude I chuckled and dismissed that exaggerated comment about our upcoming computer changes. Certainly changing a business management system for an automobile franchise could not be that horrendous. The consultant was right. I was wrong. For the next four
weeks as our employees were inundated with all that new computer data, they struggled
to stay alive on that surgical gurney of tension, lost sleep and emotional
trauma.
1. Let’s
do as the bible says. STOP. Make a decision and not let our feelings get caught
up in the powerful negative forces.
2. Let’s
make a deliberate choice to be different. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give us
the wisdom and compassion to see other
people through the eyes of Jesus.
3. Intentionally
walk around and encourage others through:
A piece of chocolate. A pat on the back.
Look them in the eyes and say, “Hey, in
spite of everything you’re doing awesome.”
4. Remember,
people will not remember us for how smart or accomplished we are, but for how we made them feel. As writers, we have our tool kit of words to change the temperature in our areas of influence.
I believe we live in a generation where we are hungry for
someone to show us a little kindness.
For those of us who go into a secular workplace, I challenge all of us
to step right into the tension and ask God to give us a heart of kindness so
that we can, through the power of the Holy Spirit, deliberately change the
tension into tenderness. Next week when you and I go to work, let’s ask
ourselves this question: “God show me
someone who can use a little kindness.”
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are the kindest person I
have ever met. Teach me to be kind. Help me to let go of my selfishness so that
I can have eyes to see where I can pour out kindness and change tension into
tenderness. Amen.
Heidi McLaughlin lives in the beautiful vineyards in Kelowna, British Columbia. She is married to Pastor Jack and they have a wonderful eclectic blended family of 5 children and 9 grandchildren. When Heidi is not working she loves to curl up with a great book, or golf and laugh with her husband, family and friends. You can reach her at www.heartconnection.ca
3 comments:
Thanks for that great reminder! People need kindness from us and when we do that, we become God's agents in our community.
How true, Heidi! Ours is indeed a call to demonstrate kindness. As you show so clearly, it needn't take a whole lot, but is necessary.
Yep, as the old chorus goes: "It's just like Jesus to roll the clouds away." Kindness can do that. :)~~+~~
Great post on kindness, Heidi. I agree with you that "Kindness acts". Well put!
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