The Help

So we recently saw the movie 'The Help' and I just loved it. I know there was some language, but honestly, I think it was appropriate for the situation, and very true to life. My favorite line from the movie was the encouragement that the main character gave to the children: You is KIND, You is SMART, You is important. I want my kids to know that.

I love this statement that I saw on one of my favorite blogs today: 

(I blog-lifted it  from Lain Ehmann at www.layoutaday.com )

Thanks, Lain

And that just about sums it up.

But the most important thing is for them to be kind. To everyone. All the time. Especially their brothers or sisters. It is easy to be kind to strangers. You only see them for a few minutes. And unless they cut you off in traffic or are rude to you is some way, most people at least tolerate others. And even open the door for you or let you go in front of you in line if you only have one item. But how do we respond to the 'rude' or 'difficult' people? Especially when they'll never know. How do we react when someone cuts us off in traffic or takes that parking spot we have been patiently waiting for?? Or that person on their cell phone who isn't paying attention to the traffic signal? Sometimes I have an easier time with this than at other times. But I try thinking about what they could be dealing with. Maybe they just got bad news. Or maybe they need to get home because their kid has been hurt. I try to offer them the same kindness and courtesy that I want someone to offer me when I do something stupid. Which I do. Regularly. Perhaps that is why I can offer them kindness. I have come to realize that I am so flawed and I think of only myself and how things that other people do affect me way too much. I fail to realize that I am not the center of the universe, and contrary to my thinking, the person did not deliberately try to make me angry or upset. They just did whatever they did without thinking about how that might affect others. Like me. Like I do so much of the time. So I try to offer them the same grace and mercy that I would want them to offer me. Cause next time, it will probably be me doing that aggravating thing that ticks him off and gets on his last nerve. Or maybe I will be ahead of you in the left lane driving 5 miles below the speed limit, talking on my cell phone. And before you get all upset, try to imagine what news I might have just gotten. Maybe none. Maybe I'm just oblivious and obnoxious. But regardless, I need grace and mercy from you. And the other drivers. And when you get zoom around me and cut me off, I will try to do the same.

But why??? Why be kind??? Because it is the right thing to do?? Well, yes. But its more than that. The Bible says, "we love because he first loved us." If we know how much he gave up for us, how he lived and died for us, and that he did it all because of his great love for us, what other response can we have? It is not a matter of what we should do, but what we are constrained to do because the love of our Savior. It is the LEAST we can do.

Still standing Amazed,
Leslie