LIVING OUT KINDNESS

I got an early start one day last week and found myself at our local grocery store before 10 cars were in the parking lot! I love getting there when all the grocery carts are neatly stacked up and the line and the deli aren’t three deep. Little did I know God would remind me about the importance of everyday kindness!

It’s almost exhilarating to wander down empty aisles with a cup of my first coffee of the day in hand.

I did not have many items to get, so I grabbed what I needed and headed to the “15 items or less” check-out line. I guess it was just out of habit I chose “that” line because the other check-outs weren’t busy at all! But more likely, it was the compliant side of me. If it says “15 items or less” then, of course, that’s where I should be!  

As I loaded my 12 items onto the counter I noticed a sweet looking very young man behind the cash register wearing a smart white shirt and a navy, white and purple striped tie. He was also wearing a shiny name tag that said “Jason”.

As he acknowledged me I said, “Good morning, Jason”. He gave me a sorta smile and looked up from under his black-rimmed glasses.

I am a morning person! Always have been and probably will always be. I wake up happy to meet each day.

I grew up in a very divided home when it came to mornings! My dad was a morning kind of a guy. I can still see him sitting at the kitchen table already sipping his coffee and reading the paper as I came down in the morning. “Morning, darlin’!” He would chirp in the happiest of happy voices!

My mother was not always ready to be cheerful in the morning. She was quiet in the morning. She liked to ease into the day without greetings, discussions or any human interaction for that matter. I must say though, she did embrace mornings once the kids were all out of the house. Hmmm, I wonder if we had anything to do with that?

Daddy and I would talk and discuss the world’s problems and joke and laugh, something that my mother could never understand! 

But I digress! As Jason was pushing my 12 items past the barcode thingy I mentioned his nice tie, “Jason, what a handsome looking tie you have on”.

He looked a little surprised and then a slow sweet smile overtook his face. “Thanks”, he said. And then added, “I thought I should wear a tie when I come to work. I bought another tie so I wouldn’t have to wear the same one every day”.

Oh my goodness, I thought that was so cute I just wanted to hug the stuffin’ out of him! I didn’t because I thought that might be a little scary! But he was just so stinkin’ cute!!!

He went on to ask me if I knew how to get the crinkle at the top of his tie out and I told him that I thought his tie looked perfect and that was just the way ties were. I told him that when I was a young girl I went to a Scottish boarding school and had to wear a tie like his every day.

This intrigued him. And because there was no one in line behind me we chatted for a couple of minutes.

Then he said the sweetest thing! “You are so kind”.  What a darling thing to say.

Then he said, “Not everyone is kind.”

This took me back a little. “Well, shame on them if they aren’t”, I replied. And he said in a soft voice as I put my bag into my cart, “You’d be surprised how many people aren’t when they’re shopping. I guess it’s just the way things are.”

I actually left the grocery store a little sad. I was sad that Jason, the smartly dressed young clerk with two ties, had to work in a 15-items-or-less checkout line where people came and went all day sometimes treating him less than nice. I was sad that people act unkind. I was sad for what made people act that way. I was sad that “it’s just the way things are”. I was sad that life’s reality had smacked down my bluebird-of-happiness-kind-of-a-day!

I’ve really been thinking about my encounter with Jason and the fact that kindness is such an arbitrary commodity.

Kindness is valuable and powerful and has the ability to make a great difference in other’s lives and in our own. Why then, is it often given so miserly.

I believe God when he says Satan is the ruler of this world. At least, for now! I believe that all people come into this world not good, but broken. I also believe and know that in our own power we cannot be consistently and sacrificially kind. How do I know this? Because I know me and believe what the Bible says!

But I also believe that God gives us the power, His power, to be kind. 

BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL Galatians 5:22-23

When the Holy Spirit takes up residence and we give Him control of our lives, only then can we live a life of on-going kindness.

He brings great power to our lives so that we can live in godliness no matter what our circumstances at any time may be. The fruit, or visible attribute, of kindness, will exude from us!

Believe me, I lived decades without Christ’s salvation and with no Holy Spirit kindness in my life. Selfishness marked those years. I would never again want to live my life before Jesus came into it. Oh, I could be kind and cheerful, but only when I was feeling that way. Back then kindness was not a way of life.

Even now, I sometimes mess us and don’t live out my God-bought-freedom-from-sin life. But, I can get right back on track and continue on! I have a powerhouse living inside of me!

How about you? Do you have the power to live the life God has created you to live? Are you the person God made you to be?

There is so much power to live a life of goodness and kindness and joy in spite of our circumstances.

Let’s live our real, God-given lives. It will bless us and everyone we meet!

This is a verse I’m memorizing to tuck in my heart and live out in my life. You might like this verse too!

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

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28 Comments

  1. Wonderful post! I always make it a point to use an employee’s name if possible. My last job was for 19 years at a local steakhouse and the best customers remembered my name. It is an easy thing to do and does make a difference. Many thanks!

  2. Good morning, Yvonne. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, we (me) can’t seem to stop ourselves from our ways. It seems like only minutes after praying and trying to live a kind and merciful life I find myself doing the most thoughtless, unkind things. I feel at times like there is no hope for me.

  3. Deb❤️ says:

    “Like apples of gold…”
    Thank you for your timely and fitly spoken words.

    1. I love that verse, Deb! Like apples of gold in settings of silver! Yes, let’s be like that!

  4. I agree with what you have written 100%. I have witnessed people being so rude to clerks. A little kindness goes a long way and it doesn’t cost anything to treat people with kindness and respect. Suzanne

  5. Beth Groff says:

    Thanks for the wonderful story Yvonne. Sometimes we just think everyone should be nice to each other. I remember at work I learned a saying from Eleanor Roosevelt “A smile doesn’t cost anything to give and it may make another person’s day”. BTW I am certainly not a morning person. LOL Have a blessed day! Hugs

  6. This actually brought a tear to my eye. As a grandmother of an 18 year old…. who is kind,sensitive and compassionate…. I know he is about to go out into this world where there are unkind people. It breaks my heart that their tender spirits have to see this and feel it. We wish only kindness and love for them and their innocence. They still have those pure hearts.

  7. Debra DiPasqua says:

    I have been following you for years . Loved your design class. You are such a blessing. I look forward to your Sunday messages. You are a gift to all of us. Have a super day.

  8. Beverly Badami says:

    I feel blessed by God with the ability to be kind and try to make people happy – this makes me happy but sometimes I feel people might think I do it for the wrong reason. I do it to glorify God.

  9. Thank you for sharing this story as a reminder to all of us to follow The Golden Rule. Thank you, too, for sharing your bright spirit with Jason. I am sure that brightened his day and made a lasting impression on him.
    Kindness can spread out to many like ripples in in a pond.
    Thank you,

  10. That makes me sad too. It makes me want to go to that supermarket and give him a tie. I try to give out kindness to everyone I meet. I will try a little harder today.

  11. Thank You Yvonne,

    I love your story and I have to say I do say hello to the checkout person and when they are especially nice I look at their name tag and say thank you and state I will remember you Dennis in my review**

    I also LOVE to play with a child or young person who is checking out with their mother. Some babies extend their arm and I touch their hand. Some children like to point at me and then I do the same. I just encountered a sweet a sweet little girl who likes to put mommy’s food items on the conveyer. Just yesterday, then she started to unload my items and her mother said no, I looked at mom and gave my okay for her to do so. I love talking to children wherever I might be shopping.

    Thank You Yvonne for this post
    Nancy
    ded to

  12. As I am older and have recently moved, I have discovered that the residents here are sooo nice so I am Consciously interacting with the service staff that I encounter, whether it’s the grocery store, library, retail shops. If it’s a longer encounter, I ask for their name and Try to remember and use it when i say goodbye and thank you. I don’t know if I’m making any effect on them, but I certainly feel better.

  13. Yvonne, please purchase Jason a tie and leave it in the manager’s office for him. Someday you once again will get in his “15 items or less” line and what a delight and blessing you will receive when you see him wearing “your” tie.

  14. In these days of businesses often not having enough employees because so many folks don’t want to work, I’ve made a point of thanking people for being there at work! As I am checking out at a store or even just passing an employee in the aisle I’ll say “Thank you for working.” Almost always they’ll look up and smile and usually seemed very surprised and grateful and tell me “Thank you for saying that.” Some have said that no one has ever said that to them before. One middle-aged woman last week laughed and said “My husband is glad I’m working, too!”

  15. That Colossians verse must be my verse too, because as I read it this morning in church I decided to memorize it this week. I love how God does that ?

  16. Barbara Kennedy says:

    Thank you for that sweet reminder about how much a few kind words can mean to everyone. New to your site and enjoy the variety of infor you provide.

  17. MARY-ANN (FROM CANADA!) says:

    Bless you, Yvonne, for speaking to Jason! You will never know how much your kindness was felt by that fellow. We can all take a page from your book! You are so kind and considerate. Thanks, so much, for sharing your thoughts with us! We appreciate you so much and continue to thank God for you and all your special gifts He has given you! Have a wonderful week, Yvonne!

  18. What a beautiful post. I do try to be kind to workers, thinking they may have serious problems on their minds–health, relationships, finances, etc. They don’t need more heaped on them! The Bible verse is wonderful. I need to print that and post it where I can see it every morning. Thank you so much for all your posts.

  19. Thank you for what you shared. Kindness and love always wins. Christians have a gift that can influence others to desire God’s truth in their lives. We have the HOPE that lies within us, and God wants us to share that hope.

    Blessings,
    Cyndy Brooks

  20. Thank you for your Sunday lessons and reminders.
    I’m grateful.
    Bonnie

  21. Ginny Ricci says:

    Thank you so very much for sharing your “Jason” story……a great blessing!! How very true it is that there seems to be little trace of kindness in our world today. And, the isolation of covid seems to have worsened it. During the worst of it, people were walking around like zombies ignoring, and avoiding others,,,and sadly, some of that has remained. Years ago, I copied a saying “BE KIND FOR EVERYONE YOU MEET IS FIGHTING A BATTLE.” Is that not true…when people around us seem self-absorbed, or nasty, I believe God calls us to see them with his heart. Everyone IS fighting a battle…if not in their health, relationships or whatever…surely with the devil himself. We need to remember that we’re not alone is this battle….God weeps over our struggles…this is not the way things were meant to be. A kind word, or even just a smile may help to lift up another’s burden or perhaps even save their life.

  22. First let me thank you for these inspiring posts. I have mentioned before that I have struggled with my faith. At one point I believed I was an atheist. With the help of my BFF, I realized I was not. I still consider myself a lapsed Baptist because do not go to church but I do appreciate your guidance. I also would like to know what version of the Bible you use. Is it the KJV?

  23. Beautiful said, Yvonne. I so agree. I love your posts- and you style. Thank you for the decorating principles you share.

  24. lynn gill says:

    Yvonne, thank you for sharing your lovely story about being in line at the grocery store and meeting Jason. I too have encountered people being out right rude for no reason to grocery clerks. I make sure to treat all people with kindness no matter who they are. This is what our Lord wants us to do, spread love and kindness .

  25. I often am able to take your posts and read them during our Homeschool. … Thank you for that. This is a great example of what I am able to pass along to my, almost 11 year old.