A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)
I do get discouraged these days. Locally the usually heavy Houston traffic in my part of the city is now even more challenging since several major roads are closed due to flooding. Then there are those pesky mosquitoes in the yard that manage to find the one small area I didn’t cover with the bug spray. I worry if they are the Zika-carrying variety.
State wise, our elected officials are doing battle with school administrators over which students ought to be able to use which restrooms.
Never a night goes by that the news doesn’t cover yet another shooting, robbery, or scandal. Not to mention the weirdest and meanest political season I’ve ever witnessed.
Globally mayhem seems to have broken out everywhere.
As I was reflecting on this I thought of all the individuals who have changed society for the better through the ages. I thought about all the wonderful people who have made my life better. I thought of all the famous people who have invented things or created programs and policies that have improved life for countless others.
No doubt there are millions of humans improving the lives of others every single day. Their deeds of kindness and courage go mostly unnoticed and unrecorded. But these are the people who dispense the milk of human kindness. And that is what makes life worth living and hope a reasonable response to all the ugliness that is recorded and reported day in and day out.
I like the motto, “Make America Kind Again.” That’s something we can all do regardless of our political or religious affiliations. We need no money, no extra time, no heroic effort to choose to speak kindly, encourage those who work hard day in and day out to improve our schools, our communities, our congregations, our businesses, and our global village.
Above all else, be kind. It really does make a difference. And it’s a renewable resource that does no harm to the environment and much good for the recipients.