Finally figured out love and kindness

[JackVk]

Last week I went on a retreat called Kairos, and it changed my life. I’m guessing some younger CAFers like me are familiar with it. Anyway, it’s all about loving people no matter who they are or what they’ve done. I ended up befriending complete strangers.

After the retreat, I feel like all I want to do is to be nice to everybody. I’m not doing it just because Jesus said to love thy neighbor. It’s because I like to make my neighbor happy.

A lot of people think Christians are nice just because they want to make God happy, but I have learned otherwise. When someone is nice to me, it makes me happy. When I’m happy, I want other people to be happy as well. And it’s a great feeling to spread the joy. God wants us to be happy, so He gives us advice on what we can do to make the happiness last.

I once saw a motivational poster that went something like this:
If you want to be happy for an hour, watch TV.
If you want to be happy for a day, go to an amusement park.
If you want to be happy for life, go out and help others.

Agreed?

 

[Garyjohn2]

I think this is cool, and it makes sense.

However, I always thought it was the other way around…I always thought that we shouldn’t be nice to people in order to make them happy, but because it makes God happy. In this we we’d be serving the interests of God instead of the interests of others, or ourselves.

I might be missing something though. Some people are naturally “people pleasers” (like myself) and do things to please others even if it isn’t the right thing to do, and have to work hard to not be that way…so maybe this would only apply to some.

What are people’s thoughts?

(btw I definately think that being nice to people can have a “butterfly effect” and make the world a better place. I’m just trying to straighten out these things in my head)

 

[nickybr38]

It’s all about love.

God commands us to love our neighbor (by this I think He means our fellow humans).

Now, if I am filled with love I respond differently to the world around me and to those I meet. Love IS kindness. Kindness is an action that stems from love.

My love for God fills me with peace. When I am at peace I can be more patient. When I am patient I can be kinder in my words and my actions.

Does that make sense?

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being kind because it makes you feel good to make others feel good, but I think the ultimate goal is to be so full of love that you are kind because you want to care for others, even at the detriment of your own happiness. Now there is TRUE kindness.

Just my opinion.

 

[Garyjohn2]

Makes sense!

 

[JackVk]

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being kind because it makes you feel good to make others feel good, but I think the ultimate goal is to be so full of love that you are kind because you want to care for others, even at the detriment of your own happiness. Now there is TRUE kindness.

Just my opinion.

I understand. I had to do something similar very recently. A “lady friend” of mine whom I love dearly started dating a guy I think is an idiot. This girl is like a sister to me, and I truly love her. So if I truly love her, I want her to be happy, so I decided to just let it go. Needless to say, we are still good friends

 

[Stylites]

The grace we receive when doing God’s will feels good, and makes us happy.