Flies & Honey
When I was a little girl, my mama always said to me, "Jeanie, you get more flies with honey than you do with vinegar!" Now, I couldn't for the life of me figure out why anyone would want to catch flies and I wasn't wasting my honey on flies, it was for biscuits!! But deep down I knew what mama meant, which was to be kind... if I treated others kindly, I would make more friends and it was just the right thing to do, be kind. As mama would say, "It's what Jesus would want you to do!"
While I have tried my best to follow my mama's very smart advice, I have to be honest, when people are rude to me, or are rude to others, cut me off in traffic, run over the back of my heels with a buggy in Walmart, or will not move over and hog the whole isle at Walmart... ya'll can see I have some real issues at Walmart! I have to try really hard to bite my tongue pray dear Jesus have mercy and channel my inner mama... "you get more flies with honey than you do vinegar." (when I would really like to roll them in honey and turn a bear loose!)
Despite my issues at Walmart I really do try to be kind. In Galatians 6:9 the bible tells us, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Wait.. What??? If we sow seeds of doing good, being kind, then we will reap what we sow? I know sometimes it is a daunting task to be kind in the face of adversity, or when someone is pushing every button, but this is a promise from God if we sow kindness, we will reap kindness.
I challenge you next time you are in Walmart or wherever it is that people challenge you the most, to try being super kind. It is hard for someone to return a frown for a smile, or a harsh word for a kind word. I have been practicing this for a while now, just simply smiling at people as I walk by them. Speaking to a total stranger, telling them to have a great day as I pass by... Now I am talking about being sincere here ladies, not that fake stuff. You never know what one kind act could do for someone, it might make their whole week. We never know what struggles and burdens others are carrying around, so a simple hello and have a great day may just ease that burden for just a minute.
Keep sowing kindness, you will reap kindness, maybe even at Walmart!!
Jesus, help us to sow kindness, even when we do not feel like being kind, not just because we want to reap kindness. Help us to sow kindness so that we exemplify you, Lord. Please let others see you, in us.