A Christmas reflection on the power of kindness, from Rev James Green

At Christmas we remember Jesus coming close. Jesus, the embodiment of loving kindness is born into a society that is fractured, broken and volatile and shows there is a better way to live.

As He does that a way of living built around love and kindness is begun that still has power today. When we share or experience kindness it reconnects us with ourselves and who we’ve been made to be.

Christmas gives us a chance to pause and reconnect with ourselves and rediscover what it means be human. I find that watching Christmas films often catches me off guard. They show us the power that kindness has to change our relationships.

Childrens’ Christmas films in particular get past my defences. I cried in Paddington 1 when he leaves Aunt Lucy, and again in Paddington 2 when the Browns have brought her to London and they’re reunited.

I cried during Matilda when she takes Ms Honeys’ hand and they walk into their new home, and life, together.

They speak clearly to our wider society too. As Aunt Lucy tells Paddington ‘They will not have forgotten how to treat strangers’, we hear words that feel increasingly close to the bone.

Kindness still has the power to move us, challenge us and lead to want to act differently.

As I look back over the last year, there are moments of kindness that have shaped it.

When our foster children moved out this spring a family member came and helped us to move them. They loaded their car up, drove in a convoy and helped us move them into their new home at the other end.

We’ve moved house too and the kids next door giggle and chat when they see us.

I met with member of the Network of Kindness who explained the difference our work is making to them.

Seemingly small acts of kindness change the world around us. They impact us, lead us to reflect on how kind we’ve been recently and recommit ourselves to it. If we want to live in a society that’s kind, then we need to act kindly.

As Jesus came He welcomed those who had been rejected, forgave those who felt unforgivable and challenged us to do the same. As Love comes close this Christmas, may we build our lives on kindness.

Thanks, Rev James Green
Executive Director, Together Liverpool