Where harshness often feels like the default for many people, especially when they have been wronged, kindness can seem small, even naive. But the truth is this: Kindness is one of the most powerful forces in existence. It heals wounds we cannot see, mends hearts we do not understand, and bridges divides we thought were impossible to cross.
And this brings me to a song that recently caught my attention, even though it is an old song. The song “Try a Little Kindness” by Mary McKee and The Genesis carries this timeless message with such simplicity and beauty. It reminds us that the world does not need grand speeches or heroic gestures; what it needs is more people who pause, see the hurting, and act with compassion.
See the Burden Others Carry
“If you see your brother standing by the road / With a heavy load from the seeds he sowed…”
We all know what it is like to carry a heavy load, mistakes, regrets, disappointments, or silent struggles we keep hidden, but how often do we truly see others carrying theirs?
The song challenges us to open our eyes to those around us. To notice! To care! Because compassion starts with awareness; it is about slowing down long enough to recognize another person’s pain and saying: “You are not alone, and I can help, I want to help.”
Jesus Himself was never too busy to notice; He saw Zacchaeus in the tree, the woman at the well, the beggar at the gate. Kindness begins where judgment ends, and seeing others with mercy changes everything.
Kindness Shines the Brightest in the Darkest Places
“Shine your light for everyone to see…”
Yes, we know by now that the world can be narrow-minded, cold, and self-centered, but kindness has a way of cutting through that darkness like light through fog.
When we show kindness, especially when it is undeserved, we are reflecting something divine. We are becoming a living testimony of grace, and yes, people may forget our words, but they rarely forget how our kindness made them feel.
Our light does not always have to be blinding; it can be as small as a gentle word, a patient smile, a helping hand, or simply listening when someone needs to talk. Those small things can ripple through a person’s life and create hope where they felt like none existed before.
Don’t Just Talk, Do!
“Don’t walk around the down and out / Lend a helping hand instead of doubt…”
We all know that it is easy to talk about kindness, to preach compassion, to repost quotes online, but real kindness costs something, because it takes time, humility, and sometimes inconvenience.
Helping others does not always mean solving all their problems completely at the times; it can sometimes mean showing up. It means choosing to be a source of comfort instead of criticism, of faith instead of fear. So my dearest readers; the kindness you show today may be the reason someone decides not to give up tomorrow.
Kindness Changes the Giver Too
Kindness does not just heal others; it transforms you. It softens your heart, widens your perspective, and reminds you of your own humanity.
When you choose to be kind, you are not just reflecting God’s love; you are also aligning yourself with it. And Galatians 6:9 reminds us: “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up.”
That is the secret of kindness: You never lose by giving it away.
Read Also: Justice: It Is About What You Do and Don’t Do
Read Also: Be Aware, But Not Troubled: The Stoic Art of Peaceful Preparedness
Read Also: The Prisoner’s Dilemma: Why Trust Is the Foundation of Society
Conclusion
The world does not need more critics; what it needs is more comforters. It does not need louder opinions; it needs more compassion. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, is a seed sown in someone’s heart. Some will grow immediately; others may take years, but they will grow.
So today, do not walk past the down and out! Do not withhold love because someone “does not deserve it.” Try a little kindness! Show a little kindness! And watch how it changes not just their life, but yours too.
