One of my favorite non-fiction authors is Gerald Weinberg. He has written several books aimed at those who provide consulting services. (Unofficially, almost all of us serve as consultants to someone.)
Weinberg informs his reader that most problems are “people” problems. He has lots of great modern-day proverbs to help consultants unravel these people problems, but the New Testament informs us how to avoid many people problems. One such bit of advice that I’ve been following during this holiday season is this: Love suffers long, and is kind.
All relationships involve a certain amount of patient endurance with the foibles of another; however, some relationships require larger amounts. Those cultures strongly influenced by Christianity acknowledge love and patience as virtues. We acknowledge that love should suffer long: and we try. But…
But we often overlook or fail on the other component of the advice offered in this New Testament proverb: Love suffers long, and is kind.
What? I’m called to suffer long AND be kind! Ahhhh… there’s the rub: Kindness. While I am being loving and patient (suffering long), I am to do it with kindness. Kindness means no meanness, no sarcasm, no nagging, no belittling, no digs, etc.
Hmmm… Anybody think that there would be fewer people problems among our friends, family, and community if we practiced this simple axiom: Love suffers long, and is kind?
Let kindness rule!
Thanks for the kind and wonderful reminder, Don.
ReplyDeleteAnd people should remember, kindness costs you nothing. Meanness costs you a lot.
Yay for Gerald commenting!
ReplyDelete@Gerald: "Meanness costs you a lot." Revisiting this post today, was helpful. Many of the challenges we face, we've faced before. And if we paid attention, we learned things. Things that are useful when a similar problem arises again... as they often do.
ReplyDelete@Saphron: Double yay!
So true, so simple and so easy that it seems like utopia... Great article.
ReplyDelete@Silvarion: Thanks for stopping by (and following). It is simple, but not always easy, and you're right it would move us towards utopia. All "heavenly" behavior doesn't have to wait until heaven. It's practice time! ;-) Thanks again.
ReplyDelete