Are we being kind?
Rivkah Nachmias
Our Great Sages have taught us
that we are supposed to emulate the ways of HASHEM.
When you think about it, this is not so difficult...
We are kind people to begin with...
We were chosen to teach the world HASHEM’S ways, and being kind is really easy.
So many people need
kindness. Can we do more? Absolutely!
We can give a kind word that may be all that is necessary to make the day
better for someone. Ask someone how he/she feels...care...
Think how you would want to be
treated if the roles were reversed.
If we see someone who seems sad, acknowledge that maybe he/she needs a
smile...communicate that you care with a smile. We will not lose
anything because we can put another smile on our face anytime we want...there
is always one ready to show itself!
For example, if we have one lit candle and we light additional candles, the
first candle does not lose its flame !
If we see someone who needs food, we can share the food we have because
HASHEM will give us more... just as he has always does.
How do we have any of the things that we have? HASHEM takes care of us, and if
we have something that someone else does not have, we must think about how we
would feel if we were in that situation.
If this were happening to me, how would I feel, and if this were my brother or
sister, what would I do to ease the pain.
So many people are in physical and emotional pain, so we try to ease it by
visiting the sick...Bikur Cholim.
We must realize that we all have the power to ease pain.
Talk to someone from your loving heart...take the time to think of others.
A woman told me a story some years ago when she desperately needed a job and
could not find one.
One day, she saw an ad in the newspaper that looked promising and called for an
interview.
The personal manager was a kind
woman and interviewed her, even though she saw at the first moment that she was
not presentable. Her hair was not neat and her clothes were wrinkled. The
personal manager spoke gently as she opened her purse and passed some money
across the desk. She suggested that she go and get something to eat, buy
a comb, some lipstick and a new blouse, and then invited her to come back so
they could explore some employment possibilities. The woman looked in amazement
and asked the personal manager why she was doing this. The personal
manager simply replied that she could be the one sitting in her chair needing a
job, and the woman could be the one interviewing!...the roles could be
reversed. The woman did return later on and though there was no job for her at
that time, she knew that someone cared to give her direction which enabled her
to renew her self esteem and she, later that week, found a wonderful job which
she still holds today.
My parents, of blessed memory, believed
that if someone passes your way and has a need, this now has become your job to
help…they believed that you should not close your eyes or ears when there is
someone in need.
"Think" before you look
away from someone who might benefit from a little kindness...Care...Give
food, money, a smile, a kind word, genuine caring...whatever is needed, try to
fill that need. Emulate HASHEM...see how kind he is to us...Learn from the
ALMIGHTY the biggest lesson in life....appreciate what you have….HE has given it
to you…and HE is always giving. Now go and see what you can do for someone
else...maybe HASHEM gave to you, in HIS profound wisdom, simply because HE
wanted you to be the Shliach (messenger) to give to those who need.
See how you feel after you see the smile that was originally on your face
suddenly appearing on the one you gave it to...you will not lose anything, but
gain more than you realize. May you be successful and may your and yours be
blessed.
Have a wonderful Sabbath.