Kindness

I’m on a bit of a soap box today; just giving you a heads up.

I have a friend from high school. She is so precious. She made a comment on Facebook yesterday and was bombarded with people being ridiculous and just plain mean. It was truly ridiculous. Her comment was taken out of context and she was basically attacked and accused. CRAZY!

Then I log on to a blog I follow and read about people putting others down only to make themselves feel good. Seriously … what is going on with our society?

Why are we so quick to judge others and offer harsh words? What happened to kindness and compassion and GRACE?

I happened to be heading into another teacher’s classroom this morning and overheard a conversation going on. The teacher was explaining to his students how “stupid” they were because they didn’t believe in the Bible. One student was talking about how in her experience the Bible was sexist and how her experience with older Christians left her feeling that way as well. This teacher slammed her. I am not lying to you when I say he told her that she was “lazy” and “childish” for refusing to believe as he believes.

Listen I get it. I teach teenagers. I had one today who broke a rule. I called him out on it and he responded with, “Ms. I’m grown, I do what I want.” Instead of telling him how childish that way of thought was I used it as a teaching experience to ask this student if he would consider me grown. He said yes. I asked if I can, “do what I want” because I am grown. He said sure. I said would there be consequences for me just “doing what I want”? I saw the light bulb come on and we had a decent conversation. I’m not naïve enough to think he got it … but at least maybe it made him think. But when did we as teachers stop treating our students like people? When did we decide that because someone disagrees with me their opinion doesn’t matter? When did we decide it is okay to throw our assumptions and opinions at people no matter how hurtful they might be?

I’m frustrated. I’m frustrated with what we are teaching our youth. In a world that is full of gray, I’m afraid we’ve become so black and white we are alienating an entire generation. I’ve also become disappointed in us. We are so quick to judge, to respond, to react. Sometimes people need encouragement and support. They need love and respect. They need to know you will still care about them even when they disagree with you. They need to know that even when they are struggling with the big questions that you have all figured out, you won’t judge them and pressure them, you will just support them.

This is why people are afraid to be real. People are afraid to be raw. They are worried about our responses. They are worried that if they don’t fit into the box we have crafted for them we will attack. Can you imagine being a mom who posts something totally harmless on Facebook and then gets berated?

I read a blog this week called “I Don’t Have my S!%# Together.” I actually posted a link to it earlier this week, but can I tell you I was not brave enough to put it on Facebook for fear of the backlash I might receive from well-meaning church ladies. No matter how closely I identified with its sentiments.

I’m all for thinking before we speak or post and taking into account how others might feel, but not at the cost of our true feelings. Is it worth it to have to hide and pretend versus being honest because of how other (well-meaning) people will react?

Whatever happened to kindness?

I’ll go back to it again … whatever happened to grace?

GRACE. GRACE. GRACE.

I feel like GRACE is lacking in a lot of ways lately.

I need more grace. I want more grace. I want to give more grace. I want to be quick to offer love and support versus anger and harsh words.

Who’s with me?

Grace, grace, God’s grace. Grace that will pardon and cleanse within.

Grace, grace. God’s grace. Grace that is greater than ALL our sins…