Thought for the Week
The signs are that we are beginning to see a reduction in the restrictions we have faced in our lives because of Covid-19.
Things are slowly returning to normal, but for many, ‘normal’ will not be the same as life before this horrible disease stuck so hard and took family members and friends from us.
There have not been many positive aspects of this epidemic, but there was, at least at the beginning of the first lockdown, a resurgence in caring and kindness being shown in communities; people helping neighbours with shopping or checking that the more vulnerable in society were being cared for.
Kindness and love are powerful factors in building a strong and happy society in which everyone feels valued and included.
At the heart of the Christian message there lies Jesus’ command to love one another and to love our neighbours as ourselves summarised in the ‘Golden Rule’: Do onto others what you would have them do to you. If we all lived in this way nobody misses out.
If we think of others’ needs as being more important than our own and act accordingly, it may mean inconveniencing ourselves a bit, but, those possibly simple acts have a hugely positive impact on the lives of others.
In return, the kindness shown to us by others blesses us.
How wonderful it would be that, even as we return towards ‘normal’ life after Covid, our society would continue to grow in acts of love and kindness. As the Message version of the Bible says in Hebrews 10:24: ‘Let us see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping each other out.’
Springbank Church.