The Power of Kindness
I hope this series has been helpful to you as we aim at lowering the temperature of divide in our country
The point is not to diminish the importance of the election of the issues of our day.
The point is to treat each other with kindness along the way which many have lost the capacity to do or prioritize.
Remember : if it is not love, its not Jesus. We do not have permission to substitute mean spiritedness because we are passionate about these things from the love God calls us to extend to all people.
- Some asked me the other day, if we believe someone else is wrong about an issue, are we to simply play "Iowa nice" and not address these serious differences?
-we should stand up for what we believe in... but all too often we do that with mean spiritedness and it pushes people away from what
we believe and only serves to further divide us. The prophet Micah offers us a better way in Micah 6:8.
-If we focus on kindness, it may just be the key to saving our American democracy and relationships.
- The meaning of Misphat and Hesed
-This Thursday we celebrated the life of one of our parishioners, Becky, who died last week
Becky became a member here in spring of 2023. She told me she practiced law as a career...
Fast forward to what she didn’t tell me, until a few weeks ago...
She was the Assistant County Attorney for the juvenile division of Linn County for 30 years
-She shared stories of being a county prosecutor, and that at times she
“dealt with some of the most heinous acts humanity had to offer and it was difficult when it affected children”
-Becky’s life was devoted to Micah 6:8----seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God
o Misphat- Justice
- The United Methodist Church views biblical justice as a commitment to create and maintain healthy relationships with all people
- The UMC’s social principles found the book of discipline seek to apply the Christian vision of righteousness to social, economic, and political issues. Justice does not always mean equality but it does always mean equity
-Equality is the idea that everyone should be treated the same
-Equity is the idea that people should be given the resources they need to be successful so no one is marginalized
-Biblical justice is always rooted in equity
o Hesed- Kindness
- Appears over 250 times in the Old Testament
- Hesed includes a concern for other people and is also translated as compassion, along with kindness
-It is at times providing aid to someone who has no right to expect kindness from you and in that sense; mercy
-And there are times it expresses a deep commitment to another person and can be translated at steadfast love or loyalty
- These are all virtues God demonstrates to us: compassion, kindness, help, mercy, loyalty, or steadfast love
-In the NRSV (the Bible we use at Salem) 174 of the 250 times hesed appears in the Bible, it is translated as steadfast love
- This is the kind of love that God has for us, and the kind of love I speak of when I officiate a wedding
-The way God demonstrates this, is the way we are called to demonstrate it to others
Micah 6:8---This is why the Bible says the Lord REQUIRES hesed and misphat from us
- The daily mission of kindness
-What would happen if you saw spreading justice and kindness as your mission every day or the purpose for your life?
-If we began in prayer daily asking God to help us spread kindness, to show mercy, and to reflect compassion?
- Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-27
-A man was robbed a left beaten on the roadside for dead.
2 religious people passed him by, may "sent" some thoughts and prayers… pity… yet did nothing
A man known to be his enemy stopped and offered him care, brought him to an inn, paid for his medical treatment, and then some
- Luke 10:36-37---mercy… go and do likewise
-You may not stop on the road every day and offer someone CPR, but you are called
to be intentional of thinking, “How can I bless, care for, or lift up someone else.”
o Princeton OT professor Katherine Doob Sakenfeld notes the definition of hesed in the Bible is:
Where on person is in significant need of help from another, help that typically may go beyond the usual expectations of such a relationship, and help that often is essential to the basic well being or even survival of the needed person.
- Kindness/compassion/mercy may be the answer to our polarization and divisions
-but they won’t solve our differences
- We should have vigorous debates about our challenges and our problems
-the result of that should be coming up with solutions
- Political debate is designed to be constructive but that often requires a compromise
-Neither party possess all the right answers... but we are meant to work together
-That is clearly what Americans are craving from our politicians.
And that is only possible if politicians are working to be just, kind, and humble.
A recent poll stated that conservatives and liberals agreed with this statement
“To restore peace and unity we need leaders to model kindness and understanding,
even with people they strongly disagree with. Leaders must show the way forward.”
- The problem is waiting for our leaders to model kindness and understanding when we the people
...the people that elect them… are not willing to do it first
- President Regan was invited to speak at a retirement dinner for Speaker of the house Tip O’Neil.
They could not be further apart on political issues - Regan Video
-This is what it looks like to engage in good politics…to fight for what believe
-While treating your opponent with kindness, grace, and mercy
- If Regan and O’Neil could do it, why can’t we?
Let us lead our leaders in a campaign for kindness….it begins with you and me living into Micah 6:8
