Day 20: Small Kindnesses

Day 20:

This weekend, I took my boys to see the movie "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey."  Of course, all three of us loved the movie and discussed Peter Jackson's reasons for his choices in presenting a children's book as a multi-movie.  But as amazingly good as Tolkien's book was and as visually stimulating as Jackson's movie was, it was a conversation between two of the characters that really made me think, especially in light of recent events.

Somewhere in the middle of the movie, there is a conversation between the wizard Gandalf and the Lady of Lórien.  The elfin leader asks Gandalf, "Why choose the Halfling?"  In other words, a gang of rough, homeless, battle hardened dwarves asks you to find one more person for their quest to slay a dragon and take back their birthright and home and you pick someone from the smallest, gentlest, weakest, and least likely to fight race in all the world.  What were you thinking?

At first, Gandalf responds with, "I don't know."

Then...

"I think a great evil cannot be defeated with power.  It is small acts of kindness, gentleness and love that will overcome evil."

Hmm...   I think I've heard this before.

‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.  Zechariah 4:6b

So, what is the Spirit of the LORD Almighty like?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.  Galatians 5:22-23

So in other words, the way to defeat the evils of this world is not with guns, knives, swords, or wands, but with small acts of kindness, gentle words, and demonstrations of love. 

I don't know about you, but I will continue to hug my boys every day, say "I love you" to my husband, smile at strangers, and look for any way to make the person standing next to me smile.  Maybe if enough of us do this, there will be less violence in the world.

Running with kindness.

Lisa