Tag: Kindness

Profound Noticing

On By Codie WinslowLeave a comment

This week, I had an incredible experience of what I am calling “profound noticing”. While running back and forth between multiple locations for work and tending to meetings, an emergency situation, and my daily tasks, I received these beautiful flowers from a colleague. Christine works as the liaison in the lobby of our main building. She tends to many. Her daily work is persistent, and it requires a certain tenacity to navigate the myriad of transaction types, questions, and information she manages daily. And she noticed me.

She said it looked like I was having a tough day. She was right, and the fact that she noticed me brought me a great sense of belonging.

I haven’t been able to stop thinking of the way her simple act of noticing made me feel. It reminds me of the kindness of Jesus. He had a remarkable way of noticing people and responding to their needs.
Here are a few powerful examples:

  • The Woman with the Issue of Blood (Luke 8:43-48) – Despite the crowd pressing around Him, Jesus noticed when a woman touched His garment in faith, seeking healing. He stopped, acknowledged her, and affirmed her faith.
  • Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) – A tax collector who climbed a tree just to catch a glimpse of Jesus. Instead of passing by, Jesus called him down, dined with him, and transformed his heart.
  • The Paralyzed Man at Bethesda (John 5:1-9) – Jesus noticed a man who had been waiting for healing for 38 years. He asked him if he wanted to be healed and then told him to pick up his mat and walk.

Each of these moments reveals Jesus’ deep awareness of people and His willingness to meet them where they were. His example reminds us to notice others and respond with love.

Thank you for noticing me, Christine! You were the hands and feet of Jesus in my life this week. May we all follow suit.

Words Matter

On By Codie WinslowLeave a comment

They knew her by name and greeted her. “Hi, Jen!” And she returned the welcome. “Hi, June. How are you, sweetie?”

“Good.”

“It’s nice to see you. Isn’t it beautiful outside today. I love it.”

I lost track of the rest of the short exchange. I was struck by her simple kindness. Her thoughtful conversation. The way she related…to the nail salon shop owner.

She wasn’t meeting her best girlfriend or interacting with a family member. She was kind. Truly.

As my superficial toes were being painted on, I considered whether what I truly value shows on the outside the way I want it to.

Am I kind? Do I extend kind words wherever I go…even at the gas station or in the break room or even the nail salon?

I value words. Words matter.

Jesus points us to this important lesson in Matthew 12:34-35. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things” (NKJV).

Words matter because they are an indicator of what’s in our hearts.

In James 3:1-12, the untamable tongue is described as “a fire, a world of iniquity” and an “unruly evil, full of deadly poison”. (NKJV)

Words matter because we can hurt people with them and in the process disqualify our example as followers of Christ.

Proverbs 18:21 says we can speak words of life. Or death if we are not careful.

I am convicted by my words. And the state of heart most days. I not only want to speak words of life and kindness, I want to be known as kind. A true representative of my Lord.

Thank the Lord, He is not only kind, he is also merciful so there’s still hope for me. And you.

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning;Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,“Therefore I hope in Him!” (Lamentations 3:22-24, NKJV).

Amen. Let it be so.

I am reminded of a ritual Bible verse I used often to teach this important point to my kids when they were small. If I began the verse…

“Let no…”

I bet they would still chime in today with…

“bad words come out of your mouth except for what is good for building others up that it may show grace to those who hear it.”

That was our kid version of Ephesians 4:29 (adapted from the NKJV).

Words matter. Let my words, even the ones I hold in my heart, bring you honor, Lord. Help me to build up rather than tear down. Guide me to words of life before they even escape my lips. May my words be a testament to the light and life found in You. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” ( Psalm19:14 NKJV) Hear my prayer. Amen.

Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Simple Truth

On By Codie Winslow1 Comment

My soul still remembers and sinks within me. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”

– Lamentations 3:20-24 New King James Version (NKJV)

I watched the crowd of faces intently, searching eyes and noting body language. Shoulders fell along with countenance as we shared the sad news of a colleague’s significant life event with the rest of the team this morning. Permanent end of life event. Her heart was the cause, and her family gathered to make sense of it all. We were all gathered to make sense of it all.

Where is the hope in the midst of hard news?

I had prepared the night before to provide guidance and strength, but in my own weakness, I found hope and strength in the simple kindness of others and in the truth.

In a hot meal. A gentle word. A warm hug. In the kind, experienced words of a local police chaplain. Simple things pointed us to hope today when our feelings welled up and our language was tears.

What I learned today about hope reminds me of the saying I’ve seen floating on the internet and social media – be kind because you don’t know what someone might be going through.

“What do we say when they ask us what happened?” one manager said wiping the heartbreak from her eyes.

“The truth,” Pastor explained. “The best thing to do is to simply share the truth.”

His experience walked us through step-by-step and the kindness of his presence spoke the loudest of all. We were not alone in it. We are not alone in it.