Overflowing Kindness

Such a wonderful day yesterday! I was gone all afternoon on a fact finding mission for my latest book. The two gentlemen helping me had made special arrangements to allow me to be in a place I really should not have been. I can't tell you more because the project is still top secret and I can't divulge where I was. Nonetheless, I was given access to records that are not generally open to the public, and by poring over them for four hours, I gained valuable insight for the book. They are experts in a field I have no training in at all. Yet, they gave unselfishly of their time, and their expertise, and treated me as an equal...not an ignorant pest (which is actually closer to the truth...)

Bob, one of the kind gentlemen helping me, is a strong believer in God. Had I not known that about him, I would have known it anyway. He went far beyond the call of duty. He had no reason to be there all afternoon helping me. It was purely out of overflowing kindness. And he had traveled an hour from his home to do so.

And then, that afternoon I started getting emails, updates from Amazon of reviews of one of my older books. A reader, "Dottie" who I don't know, had one by one responded to the few negative reviews of my dog book, shooting down the negative reviewers and calmly telling them why they were wrong. I didn't ask to be defended, but oh my, how wonderful her support and encouragement was! She seems to be methodically going to anyone who gave me a review under 3 stars, and arguing in support of my book! Each rebuttal from Dottie that rolls in removes a little of the sting and pain of those few negative reviews. For example, one reviewer said the prayers in my dog book detracted but could be easily skipped over by the reader. Dottie said she loved the prayers and found them to be integral to the uplifting message. I could weep from the overflowing kindness of this unknown friend and defender.

Many of us are fearful of how we can impart the truth of Jesus in our lives. We fear we can not say the right words, or cite the right scripture, or dispense the coherent logic and rationale for our belief. We hold back, fearing we may do more damage than good, in expostulating the hope and faith that we hold so strongly in our hearts. We desperately long to share what we know to be true, but sometimes, it is so impossibly difficult and we feel so ill-equipped. Knowledge and cogent explanation of the gospel is important, that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin and by believing in His sacrifice on our behalf, we would be restored to a right relationship with God and have eternal life....Still, it is important to remember that God can shine through our lives in other ways as well.

In that selfless afternoon that Bob gave me, I saw Jesus. He had already shared his faith with me, so I knew the powerful motivation that prompted such incredible generosity of spirit. I learned a great deal in that wonderful afternoon. Some of it was about the subject of my top secret book. Most of it was about seeing someone living his faith with such a blinding light of sacrificial kindness that it was impossible to disregard. The result was I felt blessed and encouraged, and bolstered in my faith. 

In the selfless methodical rebuttal Dottie gave to every negative review of my dog book, I saw Jesus. I saw a complete stranger who loves God see someone she felt was wrongly judged, and set about to right that wrong as completely as she was able. The result was I felt blessed and encouraged, and bolstered in my faith.

 It was a wonderful day yesterday, filled with overflowing kindness that wrapped arms around me like God Himself. An indulgence and blessing, but now I feel Him nudging me to go and do likewise.

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Remember this: The farmer who plants a few seeds will have a very small harvest. But the farmer who plants because he has received God’s blessings will receive a harvest of God’s blessings in return. Each of you should give whatever you have decided. You shouldn’t be sorry that you gave or feel forced to give, since God loves a cheerful giver. Besides, God will give you his constantly overflowing kindness. Then, when you always have everything you need, you can do more and more good things. (2 Corinthians 9:6-8 GW)

I know that there is someone to defend me and that he lives! And in the end, he will stand here on earth and defend me. After I leave my body and my skin has been destroyed, I know I will still see God. I will see him with my own eyes. I myself, not someone else, will see God. And I cannot tell you how excited that makes me feel! (Job 19:25-27 ERV)