Are You Being Kind, friend?

Are you a good person, friend? Well, that's quite a question, isn't it? But this question came to me when I was standing at the baggage carousel, completely overtired after a 25-hour flight, and all I wanted to do was get my suitcase and fall into bed. 

The people around me were noisy, the children restless, and I realized how all this was stressing me out. "When is my suitcase coming? I want to get out of here!" 

And here it came, but it was on top of another suitcase, so out of my reach. The man next to me saw this, jumped on the luggage belt and helped me. Wow! How nice! He did it with such a smile that I thought, "Oops, I should be like that!"

Busted. There is no pause for kindness. Kindness is a choice, a habit. I know how hard it is to stay kind when you're dog-tired or full of your own worries, but let me tell you: even though kindness costs you, it gives you back so much more!

That doesn't mean you have to smile at the whole world all the time, but you can choose to remain kind and be respectful at all times, just like this verse says:

"...keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:16 NIV) 

Just as this man who helped me impressed me, you will then impress others, and they will ask themselves—and perhaps you directly—"What moved you to help me?" Then you will be able to speak of the One who encourages you to remain kind because He Himself is kind:

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." (Psalm 34:8 NIV) 

One more thing, friend. Did you notice how it says here, "Happy is he who takes refuge in Him?" That means that when you're in a bad mood, tired, or worried, you can just come to Him to experience His kindness, and then pass it on!

You are a miracle!