January 16, 2025
Try a Little Kindness
Remember the Glen Campbell song? Oh. Wait a minute. Some of you don’t remember Glen Campbell, much less his song! Anyway, it was a good song. Well, maybe not a good song really, but it was a singable song. And I knew all the lyrics. So, for those who don’t know the song (or who Glen Campbell is), here is the chorus:
You got to try a little kindness
Yes, show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness
Then you’ll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets
So, let me get this straight. According to Glen, streets are narrow-minded. And narrow-minded people are blind. And if we are kind (but only a little), then we will overlook those things. Does that mean if we are not kind (but only a little), then we will see the blindness of narrow-minded people? Is it good not to see the blindness of narrow-minded people? I’m not sure. And the two verses in the song are equally confusing and not exactly kind (not even a little)! And how much is “a little” kindness anyway? Why not try a lotta’ kindness? And did anyone else catch the grammar error? Okay. It’s not a great song. But being kind is, nevertheless, a great thing to do.
Job said this to his unkind friends, “He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”1 Why would anyone withhold kindness? Especially from a friend! Perhaps we reserve our kind gestures sometimes because we do not want others to get comfortable with the idea that we would always be that way! We are quicker to be stern, aren’t we? After all, people need our instruction and guidance and our wise counsel, right? Well . . . probably not. People need grace. And kindness. Certainly, there is a time and place for sternness (and instruction, guidance, etc.), but our default response should be kindness. Remember, “Love is patient and kind.”2 It’s the second thing on Paul’s list! Plus, our kindness is the evidence that Christ lives in us, the fruit of his Spirit, which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness . . .”3 And Paul says it is something we are to wear. He tells us to “put on . . . compassionate hearts, kindness . . .”4 He says we should “be kind to one another, tenderhearted . . .”5 And not only are we to be kind, we are “to love kindness.”6
And another thing! Someone who withholds kindness “forsakes the fear of the Almighty,” which sounds pretty serious! Because it is! To forsake something means to give up on it. So, to withhold kindness is to give up on what God wants to do and, instead, insert our own idea, i.e. sternness! How impertinent is that?
So, let me get this straight. According to Job, to withhold kindness from a friend is to usurp the hand of God. Wow. Kindness is important. It is also intentional. It is not our first instinct; it is rarely accidental, and, contrary to popular belief, it is not random (as in “random acts of kindness.”) Kindness takes thought and effort.
So. Even though the song “Try a Little Kindness” has some serious flaws, its core message is good: be kind. And the tune gets in your head. (I know some of you have been singing it while you have been reading this blog!) After all, it was a number one hit back in January of 1970 when it was released—which makes the song 55 years old! For those who want to learn it click here: https://youtu.be/MvswocNN-g8
As you can see on the album cover, the other great hit by Glen that year was “Honey Come Back.” It’s one of those great tunes where Glen talks through the verses (always a bad decision) and is about as codependent a song as there ever was. But that’s another topic for another time.
As for today, let’s all try a little kindness and see what transpires.
1Job 6:14 21 Corinthians 13:4 3Galatians 5:22 4Colossians 3:12 5Ephesians 4:32 6Micah 6:8