“..and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32.
A recent blog from Charles LaFond1 talks about Mr. Rogers and kindness and how dramatically kindness spreads. LaFond also describes an experiment where three jars of an inch of rice and an inch of water separated a foot apart are treated differently. One jar is told kind and loving things every day. A second is told unkind words, and the third jar is totally ignored. In a month the first jar that was loved on is bubbling with fermentation. The second jar treated unkindly develops black mold. The third jar which is ignored is entirely black, rotten, putrid with a poisonous smell. LaFond even invites us to try the experiment.
We daily see results of people who have received this kind of treatment every day. They have passed a point where being kind and loving to them is so difficult. However, it is not a point of no return. We are called to continue to offer kindness even though it may be painful. Finally, I am intrigued by the observation that being ignored or abandoned presents a worse outcome than just receiving unkindness.
LaFond sees Mr. Rogers as our icon of someone who spreads kindness. It does help to have a mentor where we can observe what kindness looks like.
Joanna. Joannaseibert.com
Charles LaFond, “My patron saint,” The Daily Sip, November 23, 2019, charles@thedailysip.org.
