Social media has recently posted several different versions of a meme that says, “Good Morning America! What have we found to be offended by today?”

Sadly, there is more truth in that question than we might like there to be.

I work for a huge national corporation. One of the values of the company is, “Presume positive intention.” I like that. But it isn’t the first time I’ve heard those words. A year ago I took a class when we lived in Colorado. In that class, we created norms for the behavior of class members. One of the norms was that we would choose to presume positive intention in others. And yes, I’ve heard this idea even before that class. It was in a different form however. In fact, it was in scripture, 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV), “It (love) does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

May I be honest with you? I’m sick to death of everyone getting offended by everything that happens. I’m sick of negativity and predictions of doom of gloom. I’m sick to death of anger and strident voices blaming everyone else for everything that is wrong with our nation — or our world. I’m sick of people failing to exhibit respect for others. I’m sick at heart that human decency and kindness seem to have vanished from this world. Yes, even the Christian world. I am broken-hearted that we who have received grace often fail to offer it to others.

Please keep reading.

I am not writing this because I’m angry — I’m writing this because I feel as though we have failed each other; we have failed to be Christ to a hurting world; we have failed to extend grace to those who need it most. Mostly, I believe that we have failed our Heavenly Father — we have dishonored many, we have pushed to have our own way, we have grown angry when things have not gone our way, and we have kept track of every wrong — then we have thrown them in the face of those who we believe have “committed” those wrongs in our would.

I am not writing to make anyone feel badly.

I am calling for kindness.

God has called us to be His hands and feet in the world. His Son ate with sinners. He instructed us to turn the other cheek, to not only give our coat but our cloak as well. It was His instruction that we should feed the hungry, visit the prisoner, and care for the widows. In other words, we are called to reach out to the least-of-these.

The thing that I notice about Jesus was that He walked and talked with those who everyone rejected. He didn’t allow them to remain there in their sin. His message was that they could have more and be more. He wanted them to know Him.

As the church, we want the world to KNOW HIM. How will they know Him? They will know us.

So we must ask ourselves, what will they see and experience as they come to know us?

Will they see angry people with a chip on their shoulder? Are they going to be overwhelmed by the constant negativity that is shouted in our actions and on social media? Is it the disrespectful attitudes that they will see and hear?

Or, will they see love? Joy? Peace? Patience? Kindness? Goodness? Faithfulness? Gentleness? Self-control?

The people around us are God’s creation. Can we treat them as such?

Some of you are angry at my words and that’s okay. I am so thankful that God has called each of us to reach out to the world around us within the strengths that He has placed within us. It seems as though the message of love has been a bit maligned. For some, the message of judgement has become the only message, proclaimed loudly and harshly. Honestly, these messages can — and must — work together.

A friend of ours gave us a saying when we were in college. “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” 

Be Caring.

Show Kindness.

Serve as His hands.

Go as His feet.

Please, can we show kindness to those around us?

It’s time.