W

May 12th

KINDNESS    IS  ALWAYS  THE RIGHT   RESPONSE

“Kindness   is  invincible, but only    when    it’s    sincere,    with    no  hypocrisy   or  faking. For what    can

even    the most    malicious   person  do  if  you keep    showing kindness    and,    if  given   the chance, you

gently  point   out where   they    went    wrong—right as  they    are trying  to  harm    you?”

—MARCUS AURELIUS,   MEDITATIONS,    11.18.5.9a

hat if the next time you were treated meanly, you didn’t just restrain yourself from fighting back—
what if you responded with unmitigated kindness? What if you could “love your enemies, do good
to those who hate you”? What kind of effect do you think that would have?
The Bible says that when you can do something nice and caring to a hateful enemy, it is like “heap[ing]
burning coals on his head.” The expected reaction to hatred is more hatred. When someone says
something pointed or mean today, they expect you to respond in kind—not with kindness. When that
doesn’t happen, they are embarrassed. It’s a shock to their system—it makes them and you better.
Most rudeness, meanness, and cruelty are a mask for deep-seated weakness. Kindness in these
situations is only possible for people of great strength. You have that strength. Use it.