Don’t be Nice, be Kind
And don’t think you’re all that important
I try to be kind to people. I avoid being nice.
Nice is artificial. It creates barriers between people because it is rooted in ego. When he are nice, we want to create the impression we are good people.
But we are not.
For those who believe in Christ — we all fall short of the glory of God. We are all sinners and imperfect. We can, through the Spirit, give of grace to others, but often this may seem harsh because the Spirit speaks to truth, which is actually love. It always wants the best for us, but the best is not always easy.
For those who do not believe in Christ — hopefully you believe in something greater than yourself, whether it is Holy Atman (a Hindu concept) or YHWH or Allah or the magnificent redwood outside your house or a particular Buddhist Koan.
I think the important thing is to go beyond your own ego because if you don’t, I think you can end up in destructive, self-obessessed pathways. This is of course simply my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt.
I have found this true for myself — if I want to love others, I have to love myself. And if I want to love myself, I must be honest with myself. That means I put aside the curtains and the veils that hide my face from…
