Kill ’Em With Kindness

2 Peter 1:5-7 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness knowledge; and to knowledge self-control; and to self control perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

Proverbs 11:17 A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.

As the youngest grandchild on both sides of the family. I spent a great deal of time with my grandparents. I always asked them to tell me their stories and life lessons.

Harry Ortlieb, my paternal grandfather, lived to be 106. He smoked, drank a bit, chewed tobacco, had a slight slip of the tongue, could swim the width of the Ohio River…..AND WAS A SURVIVOR. He lost his mom at 5 yrs. old, saw his brother drown, trying to rescue another, lived through two World Wars and The Great Depression, and worked 3 jobs to keep his family afloat.

In 1947, as he walked home from the grocery, he was hit by a train. He had a fractured skull, broken arm and ribs…..AND HE SURVIVED. So from Harry, I learned to work hard, and SURVIVE AT ALL COSTS. I learned to acquire the attitude: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength.” He also had an attitude of faith and the love of his neighbor.

EDITH LAIBLE, my maternal grandmother lived in my home for 14 years. She passed at 95. As a Child living in Over the Rhine in Cincinnati, she
grew up hard and fast. Her father ran a saloon. At 8 years old, she and her sister Norma would carry buckets of beer to the German factory workers. They carried them, as did Little Dutch Girls with a pole and two buckets.

She related the following story: my sisters and I in 1898 went to the dock in Cincinnati. We were giving a blessing to boys going to the Spanish American War.

She recalled the Titanic disaster. She lived through two World Wars and The Great Depression. She recalled the assassination of President McKinley. She
experienced the death of JFK, along with me.

She also taught me to work hard and be a survivor. However, she gave me a deep, strong faith, and the love of family and laughter.

One of my greatest observations of my mom and granny; they taught me always to see the best in others.

As an adult, these values really struck home. I taught at a school where the poverty level was extremely high.

I purposefully found gifts within my students, and zeroed in upon them. I figured out quite early, that if they acquired the “Love of School and Their Teacher,” they would love to learn.

Every year, I made it a goal to pick out a special gift within each child. I’d zero in on that trait, and build up their confidence.

God has told me to do purposefully some neat little tricks to spread kindness. Each time I go to the grocery, deli counter, or checkout of any sort, I always start a good conversation. I always leave and either say, “God bless you, or have a blessed day.”

Two years ago at Meijers, on a Sunday morning, I met an Afro-American cashier praying with her friend. God spoke to me,”Jump in that opportunity. Others are watching.”

As I was ready to check out, I spoke the following to the Christian Cashier: “”Oh Honey, Keep spreading His Sonshine…and I mean SON.”

To this very day, every time I see her I exclaim,”There’s my Sonshine!”

Granny always said, “When someone is ugly to you Baby, Kill ’Em with kindness. They will have no choice but to be good to you.”

I have a few friends that are Liberal. WE CANNOT discuss politics. It’s extremely hard for me to understand, how someone can vow that they are a Christian and vote for a candidate that is pro-abortion and anti-police.

I have two acquaintances that are homosexual. However, it is my Christian duty to show them,”The Love of Jesus,” and be nonjudgemental. “OH, HELP ME, LORD!’

I know that many of you, as did I, found relationships within your work environment, that were almost impossible to deal with.

I was the older teacher….the young ones with all of their tech skills came upon the scene. You get it. Even though they thought that they were better than me, I tried to learn from them…….TALK ABOUT SWALLOWING YOUR
PRIDE. I always expressed the following: “I expect to learn as much from you, as you learn from me.” Regardless of my situation, I always tried to “Kill’Em with Kindness!”

HEAVENLY FATHER: I pray that within the tumult of American Society, we can look through the politics and treat others with kindness. I pray for those that show their anger by looting, rioting and revolting. Fill all of the holes within their hearts, and fill them with you. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.

Sue Cutler
Fearless Faith