Much ink has been spilt over the increasingly tribal, partisan, vitriolic nature of public debate and engagement, whether it be politics (broad distinction as it is nowadays, with almost every aspect of human life now a marker of political affiliation), religion, or even fandoms. It’s occasionally understandable. Sometimes when faced with someone whose views seem so obviously, wilfully wrongheaded and immoral, frustration, exasperation and righteous rage spill into insults and harsh rhetoric. I’m as guilty of that as anyone, even though I know it’s not the way to win people over, or to build a reciprocity of respectful, constructive dialogue.
To counter this, there have been many pleas for there to be more kindness, both in our private and public lives, and I think that this is more important than it first appears. 'Kindness' can sound rather twee, but really it's just love given expression, and we are informed that Love is the greatest of the cardinal virtues. When we fail to be kind, we fail to love.
Recently a few lines sprang into my head, and grew from there, and this is the result. I have written before about my wish to become a famous (and wealthy) hymn writer, and perhaps the below is my contribution to English hymnody, although as yet I lack a tune to set the words to. The lyrics stem from the fact that I am not always, or indeed often, a naturally kind person, so I need to be constantly reminded, even if the person I’m speaking to is so obviously, obnoxiously wrong about everything.
Make Me Kind
When the day is
never-ending,
When I’m tired in
soul and mind,
And my whole body’s
aching,
Make me kind, Lord.
Make me kind.
When the world seems
unrelenting,
And I find myself
resigned,
To the constant heavy
burden,
Make me kind, Lord.
Make me kind.
When others try to
harm me,
And their lies about
me wind,
And I’m battered and
I’m bettered,
Make me kind, Lord.
Make me kind.
When a person’s
slinging insults,
And I feel myself
maligned,
Where they’re hateful
and they’re hurtful,
Make me kind, Lord.
Make me kind.
When I see the
world’s injustice,
And I feel the chains
that bind,
And I’m weary from
the struggle,
Make me kind, Lord.
Make me kind.
When I walk along
with others,
And our lives are
thus entwined,
Even if it’s only
briefly,
Make me kind, Lord.
Make me kind.
When my life is
filled with gladness,
And the things I’d
lost I find,
When all things to me
are given,
Make me kind, Lord.
Make me kind.
While my faith keeps
on sustaining,
And my hope goes
unconfined,
Still above them and
beyond them,
Make me kind, Lord.
Make me kind.
Of all the earthly
virtues,
Let me keep this one
enshrined.
In my doing and my
saying,
Make me kind, Lord.
Make me kind.
When I lay aside my burdens,
As I leave this world behind,
And at last, I stand
before You,
Let them say that I
was kind.
©Thomas Jones, 2022
