The story is told of a rabbi in ancient times who gathered his students together very early one morning, while it was still dark. He put this question to them: “How can you tell when night has ended and the day has begun?”
One student made a suggestion. “Could it be when you can see an animal and you can tell whether it is a sheep or a goat?”
“No, that’s not it,” answered the rabbi.
Another student said, “Could it be when you look at a tree in the distance and you can tell whether it is a fig tree or a peach tree?”
Again the rabbi answered, “No.”
After a few more guesses the students said: “Well, how do you tell when night has ended?”
The rabbi answered, “It is when you look on the face of any man or woman, and you see them as your brother or sister. If you cannot do this, then, no matter what time it is, it is still night.
With World Kindness Day just over, I’m still reflecting on the lovely theme of ‘make kindness the norm’. I find it easy to be kind to people – especially strangers and those who clearly are underprivileged. What I struggle with is being kind to people who are arrogant, opinionated, scheming, and unkind to others. How do we reach out to them with kindness. I know there are no easy answers and I’m trying to find a way.
Do you find it easy to be kind to people who push your buttons?
'It is when you look on the face of any man or woman, and you see them as your brother or sister. If you cannot do this, then, no matter what time it is, it is still night.Click To Tweet
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Oh, goodness–we slip into nightfall so easily these days.
May we live “walk in the light as He is in the light.”
So true, Michelle. We must cling to the Light!
I find it hard to be kind to people who rub me the wrong way however if it’s people who don’t matter to me I can pretty much keep my cool and I keep out of their way. There’s a line in the book ‘Wonder’ that says ‘Be kinder than necessary’. I’m trying to make that the tagline of my life. One shouldn’t need a reason to be kind.
What a lovely post and not to forget your thoughts of seeing each man and woman as a brother and sister which marks the new dawn. Just mesmerizing.
Going by what Rabbi said, it is a long night for the whole world at present. Nobody is clearly a brother or a sister. Kindness to the mean is doable or practical? I am not capable of this is what I can think of.
It is really tough extending kindness towards such people who have not a single kind bone in their body. But, I guess, we just ought to do what we are good at and let people be.