Friday, October 16, 2015

Being Kinder

We can all be kinder to those around us - ourselves, loved ones, strangers, people who cut us off in traffic (oops, did I go to far?), etc. This thought has been stuck in my head for a few weeks now.

Source

Hubby and I live in a condo complex (we bought our place about 4 years ago). The buildings are fairly close to one another. Normally it is a quiet little community, but lately you can hear some "loud discussions" from some of our neighbors.

Don't get me wrong, Ryan and I have our fair share of "discussions", that's what happens when you've been together for over 12 years, right?! But at the same time, we try to be as civil and respectful as possible (or at least that is what I tell myself).

But it made me think... If we can hear those around us, then those around us can hear us. If we were to ask our neighbors, what would THEY say about how we communicate with our loved ones?

Source

I will be the first to admit it, we often take out our pent up aggression and anger on the ones closest to us - even when they don't deserve it. I guess it just seems easier (I mean, they HAVE TO love us and stick with us, right?!).

Source

And, if we are Christians, we are told that others will know that we are Christ followers by our love for one another. Our marriages are supposed to be an earthly reflection of the love that Jesus has for His people. So how convicting (at least for me) is it thinking that our neighbors may hear how we interact and judge our God based on that?

I guess there isn't really a point to this post, other than challenging us to speak in love to those around us - even when it doesn't come naturally. We can always be a little nicer, so let's try it, k?


Source

What do you think your neighbors would say about how you speak to your loved ones?

No comments: