Acts of kindness, like spices, can change flavor of life

By Jon R. Black CONTRIBUTOR

My Aunt Mae was a great cook. She never wrote her recipes down and she rarely shared them. I have no proof, but there was a rumor that on those rare occasions when she did share a recipe, she would leave out one or two ingredients.

Those omitted items became secrets she took to her grave. Several relatives attempted to duplicate Aunt Mae’s dishes. Without the missing ingredients, they all failed.

My Aunt Mae’s secret ingredients point to an under-recognized truth: The little things in life matter. They have great impact. Can you imagine baking a cake without using baking power? Preparing eggs without a pinch of salt? Salsa without jalapeno peppers? The little things in life really matter.

My wonderful wife, Donna, is also an excellent cook. She has a rack full of herbs and spices. Often, she adds a pinch of some herb or a dash of some spice to a dish. The power of these very small ingredients is amazing. Frequently, Donna’s spices transform leftovers into gourmet meals.

In research for this article, I looked up the measurement of a “pinch.” A pinch is the smallest amount that can be held between the index finger and the thumb. Yet, a pinch of oregano, cumin or nutmeg can make or break a meal.

Just as herbs and spices radically impact the outcome of a meal, a little human kindness has great impact on the lives of others. Can you imagine a world without smiles, hugs, kind words, gentle embraces, or kisses on the cheek? These small ingredients are the spices of life.

In many places, scripture encourages us to offer random acts of kindness to our neighbors. For example, the Bible instructs us to cry with those who cry and rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15). Just being with people and being truly in the moment as they experience the highs and lows of life adds seasoning to our lives.

While these simple acts are sufficient to adding flavor to our neighbor’s life, the Bible pushes us to using these acts for our personal benefit. The Bible takes for granted that most of us will act kindly toward our family members, friends, neighbors, those of our socio-economic group or political party. To really experience the benefit of these acts, we must perform them for people quite different from ourselves.

Luke 6:33-35 reads: “And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great.”

There is a great benefit in offering acts of kindness that stretch our character. When our acts of kindness take us out of our comfort zone, they bring with them the potential to transform our world for the better.

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