Treat everyone with politeness and kindness, not because they are nice, but because you are.
~~~~~~~~~ Roy T. Bennett
There's an old fable about the sun and the wind having a competition to see which one of them can be the first to get a man to remove his coat. The wind blows with all the force it can muster, but the man just pulls his coat more tightly around him. Finally the wind gives up. Then the sun comes out to shine a warm light down on the man. As the man becomes warmer and more comfortable, he takes off his coat.
Certainly there are times when a little force is necessary. Hammer, meet nail. But more often than not, better things in this ol' world are achieved with gentleness. We are perhaps most frustrated when we are trying to force something to happen. Maybe we're even right about what needs to happen, but we've chosen the wrong method to get there. Maybe the "force" we need to apply is the kindness of an explanation, the gentleness of a request, instead of a directive that will be met with resistance. Our own desires for growth and productive change are best fed by the love and kindness of friends and family.
Kindness takes some practice. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness...gentleness; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23. What can we accomplish today by being gentle, toward others and toward ourselves?
Blessings all,
NT
~~~~~~~~~ Roy T. Bennett
There's an old fable about the sun and the wind having a competition to see which one of them can be the first to get a man to remove his coat. The wind blows with all the force it can muster, but the man just pulls his coat more tightly around him. Finally the wind gives up. Then the sun comes out to shine a warm light down on the man. As the man becomes warmer and more comfortable, he takes off his coat.
Certainly there are times when a little force is necessary. Hammer, meet nail. But more often than not, better things in this ol' world are achieved with gentleness. We are perhaps most frustrated when we are trying to force something to happen. Maybe we're even right about what needs to happen, but we've chosen the wrong method to get there. Maybe the "force" we need to apply is the kindness of an explanation, the gentleness of a request, instead of a directive that will be met with resistance. Our own desires for growth and productive change are best fed by the love and kindness of friends and family.
Kindness takes some practice. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness...gentleness; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23. What can we accomplish today by being gentle, toward others and toward ourselves?
Blessings all,
NT
