"Be Ye Kind, one to another..."

“Be ye kind, one to another.”  Ephesians 4:32

      A long time ago I read a book which had a paragraph I’ve never forgotten.  In the story, the leading character (we’ll call her Jennifer), goes to a bank to be interviewed for a job there.  The bank president learns that Jennifer’s husband is Jewish, so she now has a Jewish name, although she is a Christian. 

     The president comments that Jennifer has probably been the victim of some discrimination by people who dislike Jews.  (He is Jewish and may have been speaking from personal experience.)  He tells Jennifer that “People should be more tolerant and should show more love for each other.”

     Jennifer responds by saying, “I would not preach tolerance, for that presupposes faults in those to be tolerated.  Nor would I demand love, for that should be the gift of a free will.  But simply to be kind – that is not too much to ask of any of us.”

     During this season of Advent, I’m sure all of us will have many opportunities to be kind to others.  May we each keep in mind the above verse from Ephesians as we go about our daily routines. 
– from Marcia B of our church