Trying Kindness

In the 1970's when I was in the seminary in New Jersey a New York news anchor spoke at our seminary. News anchors from New York City reported it all. Actually, to be honest, New York City in the 1970's was not a very nice place to be. The city has been cleaned up a great deal since that time; the ‘70's were a real low point.

In a question and answer session after his talk (that I do not remember) people asked a variety of questions. One student asked a fairly mundane question: “What do you see as the biggest problem people face now?” Most of us figured this was mundane and boring, and the speaker would give some standard answer. His answer, however, was unforgettable. He said simply, “People don’t love each other enough.”

I have often remembered those words. “People don’t love each other enough.”

We live in a culture plagued by a lack of kindness.

I have come to loathe election years. Watching television commercials from so many candidates is often painful. Many of the ads are cruel and often not even remotely accurate.

I simply do not turn on the radio. Talk radio has become a breeding place for hatred.

Most of the evening cable news shows are pretty much the same. Sadly, I often watch these shows and delight in seeing people I do not like very much skewered. It really is not right and I find myself wondering if watching these shows is actually wrong. When I find myself delighting in unkindness directed at people with whom I do not agree or who I feel are unkind, I lower myself into the muck.

Most people who know me would say that I am a pretty nice person. People who know me well know, however, that I have a ragingly sarcastic sense of humor. I sometimes direct my sarcasm at myself, but I also aim sarcasm at others. It is not me at my best. I may be funny when I do this, but unkindness probably ought not be laughed at.

Every so often, however, I run into people who are incredibly kind and good and I greatly appreciate their goodness. I think I’m going to work on having that kindness rub off on me.

At least a little.