Dear Friends,
Grace and peace to each of you. I give thanks to God each time I think of you and pray you are experiencing health and happiness this summer season. I was blessed to spend some time with extended family during the latter part of July. We traveled to Moab, Utah, to hike around some national parks, drive ATV’s, whitewater raft, and be lazy by the pool. It was a great time to be with our older teenagers and young 20’s children.
While we have enjoyed a number of extended family vacations, this one was a bit different. No grandparents attended this trip for a number of reasons. And, with the ages of the “kiddos” now, the flavor of our conversations were, well, just different. We found ourselves intrigued by the news of a former president being shot and hit on the ear; the current president rescinding his run for a second term while endorsing his current female VP; and we found excitement around the start of the Olympics and what it is like to be “that” good at sports – good enough to travel around the world and represent your country.
I often find myself lamenting the way I have influenced my children – not only their likes or dislikes but also ways that I “fell short” by not better explaining when an opportunity presented itself. Lately, I am disappointed in our culture, in much the same way, for not showing our best selves. Election year or not, we have found that it is quite easy to complain, to taunt one another, to disparage others and simply act in appalling ways via social media. We can all to easily write words that hurt or upload videos that share our side of a story for the express purpose of bringing another down. In so many ways, we have let our children down. We have let one another down. We continue to sow seeds of hatred, anger and hurt by sharing these posts and buying into the idea that sharing resentment or hatred is somehow helping us as a nation, a world, a human race.
So then, putting away falsehood, let each of you speak the truth with your neighbor, for we are members of one another. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths but only what is good for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. (V. 25, 29-30)
Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. (V. 31-32)
The Ephesians passage for this coming Sunday, Aug. 11, says: put away falsehood and speak truth, share words that build up rather than tear down, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as we have been forgiven by God through Christ. Yes! This! Please can we do this? How can we make this happen? Could we move the needle toward this just a little bit?
Maybe it’s the commercials on tv, maybe it’s the stuff on social media, maybe it’s the divisiveness of the world these days — but this hits! Sharing what we believe to be true or want to be true is not the same as speaking truth. Finding people who build one another up rather than tearing others down is difficult. Where do we point out examples of someone who is kind or tender hearted? Thankfully, most of us know someone who has shown us kindness. Out in the world, especially public figures, it seems to be harder and harder to find. Our children need role models; we need to know there are people out there working toward kindness, who have tender hearts, who forgive even when it doesn’t make their video go viral.
Several months ago, I began to hear of something from some of the pastors in my district called a Kindness Campaign. They had been to Church of the Resurrection UMC in Kansas City to learn from the pastors and staff there. Adam Hamilton and his congregation committed, years ago, to sharing kindness on major election years. They want to share a message of kindness, acting with civility and even tenderness, during a season where words are used to convey harsh messages about other fellow human beings over and over again – all for the sake of electing leaders in cities, states, counties, and our country. While political “unkindness” is not the only way we have fallen short of the words in Ephesians, the election season does seem to saturate us with negativity and divisive words.
I wonder, if in this election season, the churches and congregations of the Harbor District, might lead the way in a kinder and gentler season. As we make our way to elect leaders across our communities and country, could our church services, programs, and gatherings provide a haven of peace in the midst of a harsh and heated world? We have had our own time of heated debate; we are not immune to it. And – what if we became a place of refuge, away from the debates and discussions this fall? What if we started our own Kindness Campaign, where we truly “do unto others as you would have them do unto you?” What if we remember that every person is a child of God and of inherent worth? What would happen if we treat one another as siblings in love, regardless of the way we may vote or what we believe?
If you are clergy or laity, please feel free to connect with me via email at harbords@nccumc.org. You can see what Adam Hamilton is planning and receive resources via campaignforkindness.com.
We, United Methodists and humans, represent God’s creation. We worship and learn our faith daily through experience, study, prayer and interactions with other humans. We have much influence on the people who are around us at work, play, church, in the world. I wonder if our attempts to be kinder, more tenderhearted with one another, would cause anyone to take notice. While the world seems full of harsh words and critical views, I think we are all hopeful for more, better, sweeter living. I hope you will find your own way of joining others in making kindness your “go to” during the second half of this year! If you want more information or feel partners will be helpful, contact me at the email address above.
You are greatly loved and appreciated, friends. We build up of the Body of Christ and the whole world when we share kindness through Christ.
Photo Credit: Tara Lain