A message from Reverend Stacey, BCC Chaplain and Director of Church and Community Engagement.
Kind hearts are the gardens,
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the blossoms,
Kind deed are the fruits.
-19th century rhyme
Our focus this week is on being kind to ourselves as well as to others.
I am reminded of this quote from the Dalai Lama:
“Be kind whenever possible.
It is always possible.”
We need to practice being kind at all times. Small acts of kindness make all the difference in our lives and in the lives of others. 
In one of our houses in Baltimore, the youth are writing in on their “40 Days of Positive Actions” calendar the specific actions that they are taking each day. One example was that a youth shared a snack with another. It is inspiring to learn how our young people are making this practice meaningful in their daily lives. Thank you to all of our staff who are encouraging positive actions and modeling them.
There are many scriptures that make clear God’s desire for us to be kind to one another. God’s own kindness is our example.
Here are some verses from the Bible to illustrate:
Since God chose you to be the holy people whom God loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
-Colossians 3:12-13 (New Living Translation)
Be kind and loving to each other.
-Ephesians 4:32
The Lord has told you what goodness is. This is what God wants from you: Be fair to other people. Love kindness and loyalty, and humbly obey your God.
-Micah 6:8
Let us encourage one another to be kind to ourselves and to be kind to one another. We all deserve more kindness in our lives as well as the joy of showing kindness!
Hope we have a great week!
Rev. Stacey
And always remember:
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
-Aesop
This was originally part of our 40 Days of Positive Actions activity, sponsored by BCC Spiritual Life Team.