The Cost of Kindness 

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12 (NIVUK)

You may have heard the expression: “It costs nothing to be kind.” And it is true, for the most part. Thanking the bus driver when you get off the bus. Letting someone through the door ahead of you. Picking up an item someone dropped and giving it to them. Easy, right? Yes, and no. For the most part, we have to be intentional about being friendly until these little acts of kindness become second nature. But it’s something we can practise every day without it costing us anything.

There are, however, times when it costs a lot to be kind. Times when a kind person has to go out of her/his way to be kind to someone else. Here’s an example:

Recently I did a presentation at an IT company as part of their interview process. They needed to see whether I can communicate well, I guess. A team of about 12 people were on the call. They were all Data Scientists and other IT professionals with, I’m sure, a lot of work on their hands without having to listen to some newbie waffle on about growing wine grapes near Sheffield*. But they did it and they were engaged the whole time. They asked interesting (and difficult!) questions. They made me feel as comfortably uncomfortable as they possibly could with absolutely nothing in it for them apart from maybe, possibly gaining an inexperienced colleague.

The presentation didn’t go as well as I had hoped and I didn’t get the job (or go to the next round of interviews), but they took the time to write up and give me some extremely valuable feedback on things I can/should do differently in the future. They didn’t have to do that, especially in a field where it seems the norm is to just not get back to anyone unless they are successful. But they did. And I noticed. And I felt that.

Here's the thing: When kindness costs kind people, it is the person on the receiving end that feels the benefit. In the example above it was me who gained from others’ kindness. It’s like buying someone’s cup of coffee for them or giving your time to listen to someone when your time is at a premium. Or, like Jesus, giving your life so that others may live. If you can be anything today, be kind. You might never know how far your small acts of kindness – costly or not – reaches.

A prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you that you have shown me kindness, both personally and through the community I live in. Help me notice where kindness is needed and give me the courage to share your loving kindness unashamedly. Amen.

*The project I presented on was about climate change and viticulture… in South Yorkshire.
Photo by Andrew Thornebrooke on Unsplash