Sometimes, Kindness Is the Lesson
We spend so much time teaching our children what they need to know. We teach them how to read, how to solve problems, how to follow directions, and how to prepare for their future. But there is another lesson I believe we can never stop teaching: how to treat people.
Kindness may seem small but never underestimate the power of something small when God is in it. A smile. A seat at the table. A helping hand. A simple, “Are you okay?” Sometimes what feels like a little thing to us can mean everything to someone else.
And here’s the beautiful part: kindness doesn’t cost us anything, but it can leave a mark that lasts much longer than we realize.
What Does Kindness Look Like?
If you are wondering what kindness looks like, Kindness doesn’t always look like a grand gesture. Most of the time, it looks like ordinary people making extraordinary choices in ordinary moments.
It looks like noticing the child who is standing alone and saying, “Come sit with us.”
It looks like choosing encouragement when criticism would be easier.
It looks like helping someone who is struggling instead of laughing at them.
It looks like giving grace when someone makes a mistake.
It looks like listening—really listening—when someone needs to be heard.
It looks like saying “I’m sorry” and meaning it.
It looks like doing something good without needing anyone to know you did it.
Kindness is not weakness. Kindness is strength under control. It is choosing to let Jesus guide our response, even when our feelings want to respond differently.
Why Should We Be Kind?
Because we don’t always know what someone is carrying.
The child who is unusually quiet may be having a hard morning. The student who keeps acting out may be trying to communicate something they don’t have the words to explain. The parent who seems overwhelmed may simply need someone to show a little grace. And sometimes, we are the ones who need kindness.
That is why kindness matters. We are all human. We all have moments when we miss the mark. We all need grace. And if Jesus has given us grace, shouldn’t we be willing to extend some of that same grace to somebody else?
Kindness does not mean that we ignore wrong behavior. It means we can correct without crushing. We can have boundaries without being harsh. We can tell the truth without being unkind. We can teach accountability while still reminding a child, “You made a mistake, but your mistake does not determine your worth.”
We have the best example in Jesus Christ to what kindness looks like. One of my favorite examples is found in Luke 10:25–37—the story Jesus talked about the Good Samaritan.
A man had been beaten, robbed, and left hurting on the side of the road. People passed him. They saw him, but they kept going. Then someone stopped. The Samaritan saw the hurt, and instead of simply feeling sorry for him, he did something about it. He cared for him. He helped him. He made sure he was okay.
That story reminds us that kindness is not just about seeing people. It is about seeing them—and choosing to care.
That’s what it means to LIVE JESUS.
A Little Kindness Can Go a Long Way
Parents, don’t ever think your child is too young to make a difference. And children, don’t ever think you are too small to make a difference.
You don’t have to change the whole world today. Maybe you just need to change someone’s day.
Hold the door. Share your seat. Invite someone to play. Encourage a friend. Thank your teacher. Help your parents. Forgive your sibling. Speak life. Look for someone who needs a little kindness—and be willing to be the person who gives it.
Because sometimes the greatest ministry doesn’t happen behind a pulpit. Sometimes it happens in a hallway, at a lunch table, on a playground, in a classroom, or right at home.
Let’s Make Kindness Our Lifestyle
Let us not make kindness another assignment. Make it a way of life.
Before you walk into school, ask yourself: “Who can I encourage today?” Before you respond when you’re frustrated, ask: “What would Jesus want my response to look like?” Before you walk past someone who is hurting, ask: “Could I be the person God sent to help?”
We may never know how far one kind word travels. We may never know what a smile prevented, what an encouraging word restored, or what a simple act of love meant to someone who was having a difficult day.
But God knows.
“Be kind and compassionate to one another…” — Ephesians 4:32
Kindness is more than something we teach.
It is something we LIVE.
Let’s LIVE JESUS—one kind word, one kind action, one person at a time.
Christian Preparatory Schools • Just Living Jesus
