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How Has the Kindness and Devotion of Others Made Your Life Easier?
Kindness and Devotion are Verbs
As I thought about kindness from others that have made my life a bit easier, the first thing that comes to mind is to be welcomed. As a biracial Asian female, I have not always been welcomed in spaces. I walk into meetings and conferences on guard, waiting for someone to say or do something that brings up negative emotions. So, those people who have welcomed me have made my moments and life easier. Thank you.
This image of Pope Francis washing and kissing the foot of an inmate emulates not just kindness but humility. For some, being kind does require some humiliation, but not in a bad way, right? There is no fear. He bends over and kisses the prisoner’s foot out of kindness.
It’s like saying, “I know you have had a tough life. I bless you that you may rise up and wear a coat of kindness in the world.”
Today I think about how Jesus washed the feet of others (John 13).
The twelve disciples have just had their Last Supper with Jesus. They are a bit unprepared for what comes next because, in that time and culture where everyone wore basic shoes or sandals and walked everywhere, they would have washed their feet before entering the home.
