Kindness Like Glitter

Colossians 3:12-14
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Glitter, sparkle, shine, but most of all be kind. 

When my kids were growing up, our home was kind of messy. We crafted and sewed, glued and drew. If the girls had a school project with friends, our house was often the one where they made dioramas, science projects, and book reports. On Valentine's Day and Christmas, the cards required as much glitter as they would hold. Little hands scattered the shiny sparkles over white glue and made a fine mess. Sort of like the sprinkles we shook over Christmas cookies. When I attempted to vacuum the tiny, sparkly pieces, I inevitably left some behind. It seemed like I'd find glitter for years, after a project.

In Galatians, Paul teaches kindness as part of the fruit of the Spirit— the fruit believers in Jesus grow throughout life. He repeats, in Colossians, to be clothed in compassion and kindness. There's that word again—kindness.

What would the world look like if people sprinkled kindness and compassion like glitter? So much so, that the kindness stuck around and was difficult to remove. In the third chapter of Colossians, Paul addresses the church where kindness and compassion should certainly be present. Yet he had to remind them. What about at home with the people we love? How about work? The playing field or gym floor?

In a world where I can be anything, shouldn't I be kind? Considerate? Thoughtful? And shouldn't those traits be so ingrained I don't have to think about them.

Jesus loves people. When he walked the earth, he showed kindness, even as he spoke the truth.

Sprinkle kindness like glitter, so it sticks around.