HumanKind
Years ago in college, I was involved in our campus FCA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Our FCA group was a large, vibrant community with two major things in common, we loved sports and were on fire for the Lord.
One evening, the worship leader of our FCA group reached out to me with a request. She heard from my good friend Mark, aka “the Big Bear,” that I played the guitar. The regular guitarist was sick and unable to help lead worship at our upcoming gathering. I had played the guitar many times with friends at small gatherings but had never played in front of a large group, not to mention playing while singing. Nonetheless, I foolishly agreed to step in. I was a division one athlete accustomed to playing in front of a large audience. How different could it be from performing on the field? I thought.
The night of the performance, I confidently stepped on stage, took my place, and waited for the lead singer to address the crowd. I can still distinctly remember the moment when the lights hit the stage, the group took their feet, and the music started, or at least, it was supposed to start, except something was missing, the sound of my guitar. While the others jumped into our first praise song, I fought to find feeling in my fingers.
As the music continued, I mustered up enough sense to slowly strum; however, something was still off, way off. It seems I was strumming offbeat and singing out of tune. In fact, by the confused looks I spotted on the faces of those sitting in the front row, I am pretty sure I was playing the wrong song.
Just as my embarrassment was about to peak and as I contemplated leaving the stage and heading for the exit, out of nowhere, a familiar figure stepped out from the crowd, jumped up on stage, and draped his supporting arm over my shoulder. Where I could barely find the voice to sing, another voice rang loudly in my microphone. It was the Big Bear, Mark, and by doing so, he gave me time to breathe, find my voice, and catch my bearings.
Soon, the feeling in my fingers returned, the spinning in my head subsided, and I was able to find my way back to the song. His willingness to step out and up alongside a friend in need was as moving as the lyrics meant for worship. His kindness and compassion reminded everyone that what we do is as important, if not more important, than what we proclaim from our lips.
I have read that there is a physical reaction in the brain when we witness someone being kind to someone else. Being kind and seeing acts of kindness and compassion can raise both serotonin and dopamine levels, neurotransmitters in the brain that give you feelings of satisfaction and well-being, and cause the pleasure/reward centers in your brain to light up. Furthermore, endorphins, our body’s natural painkiller, can also be released. The Lord not only designed us to thrive in environments where kindness and compassion are present, but he also commanded us, as His image bearers, to be kind and compassionate.
As you prepare for the week ahead, ask the Lord to present you with an opportunity to step up alongside someone in need in a gesture of kindness. By doing so, you might just give them a moment to breathe, find their voice, catch their bearings, and provide them with a glimpse of the Lord we serve.
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
Amen,
Brad
