A while back I was visiting in a friend’s home and noticed a prominent sign displayed in her kitchen. It read, “Kindness Spoken Here.” What a great attitude adjuster for everyone in the family. It would certainly set the tone for all the relationships with in the home.

If you think about it, KINDNESS ought to be the touch stone for all our lives. It should permeate our families, our churches, our work world and the way we deal with our neighbors (near and far).

But unfortunately, we live in a very selfish, self indulged, self oriented society that only focuses on “me and mine.” That’s why it is so refreshing when we encounter KINDNESS in our daily lives.

There are plenty of rich examples in scripture of people acting kindly. One of my favorites has to do with Rebekah, the bride selected for Isaac (Genesis 24). Abraham is old and wants to secure a bride for his son. He wants that bride to be from his countrymen, not the Canaanites. So he sends his trusted servant, Eliezer to travel back home to Mesopotamia, to the town of Nahor.

Eliezer asked the Lord to help reveal the right woman for Isaac. So, the plan was to stop at the city’s well with his ten camels and ask a young woman to draw some water out for him. (Drawing and carrying the day’s water supply was the job of young unmarried Jewish girls.) And the one who not only got him a drink, but offered to draw water for the thirsty camels would be God’s choice for Abraham’s son.

Rebekah appeared that evening with a large jar on her shoulder and did just that. She drew water for Eliezer and then offered to provide the water for the animals as well.

Before you skip quickly by that story detail, consider some facts. I am told that camels in that area would drink between 9 and 20 gallons a day. A gallon of water weighs 8 pounds. With ten camels to serve, that meant that Rebekah hauled up at least 1600 pounds of water in order to satisfy those camels.

Now that is an act of KINDNESS!

She certainly impressed Eliezer and ultimately became Isaac’s bride. She is an Old Testament “jewel” and her life can speak to ours today.

So this week as you hurry through the details of your life, remember the example of Rebekah and her kind act. Find some ways to surprise your co-workers or family. Choose to do a chore for someone. Buy an extra something for the next guy in line. Offer to do something that is outside of your normal responsibilities. Find a way to be KIND. And remember, “Love is patient, love is KIND…”