October 20, 2024 Reflection

Picture of Rev. Carla Wilks

Rev. Carla Wilks

Associate Minister

Do unto others

Blue and Red Make Purple: Kindness”

Scripture Reading: Luke 6:31-36

 

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Today, we live in a world that feels divided in so many ways. Especially right now with our election yesterday with constant attack ads leading up to it, and then we have the US election looming, and we are inundated with and influenced by American politics and American news, so it is easy to see this division in political terms—where red and blue seem to define not just our ideologies, but our communities, our identities, and even our relationships. But the division we experience is not just political; it’s cultural, social, and sometimes personal. We live in a world where people tend to silo themselves into different camps, based on who they are, where they’re from, or what they believe. It can feel like we are in two worlds, not one. These divides threaten to take away from our shared humanity.

 

Today’s scripture from Luke challenges us to look past these divisions. Jesus’ command to “do to others as you would have them do to you” invites us to step out of our silos and into something more beautiful and unified, something more profound: into the “purple space,” a space where we can find common ground, where red and blue meet and where love, kindness, and compassion take root.

 

In this passage, Jesus gives us a radical teaching about kindness—extending love not just to those who are like us, but to those who are different, even to our enemies. It’s not about doing good to those who agree with us or who are kind to us in return. Jesus challenges us to go deeper— to show kindness, even to those we might consider enemies. To love in a way that reflects the mercy of God, who is kind to both the grateful and the ungrateful. This call to kindness, to love those who are different from us, those who challenge us, and even those who might be our enemies, is a revolution of the heart. It invites us to step beyond our divisions and engage with one another in ways that bring healing and hope. It’s hard work, but it’s holy work.

 

This teaching echoes one of the central themes of the Hebrew Bible, where the Hebrew word for kindness, hesed, appears over 250 times. Hesed refers to God’s faithful, steadfast love—a love that is unwavering and extends to all, regardless of whether it is reciprocated.

 

This relentless kindness is foundational to the Jewish faith, and Jesus reaffirms it in this passage. It’s in this space of radical kindness and love that we begin to create something new—something purple.

 

The good news is that kindness, when practiced, has far-reaching effects, not just for those who receive it but for those who offer it. Dr. Michelle Robin, a wellness coach and founder of the 31-day Kindness Campaign, reminds us that the research overwhelmingly shows that those who practice kindness are happier, have less stress, experience better relationships, and even live longer. Kindness, it turns out, is not just a gift we give to others; it is a gift we give to ourselves.

 

But beyond the personal benefits, kindness can also be a powerful tool for healing our divided world. A poll released in September 2022 found that 75% of Americans—across the political spectrum—agreed that to restore peace and unity, we need leaders who model kindness and understanding. This statistic is remarkable because it shows that, despite our differences, we all crave the same thing: a society where kindness prevails.

 

Yet, if we are waiting for our leaders to model this kindness, we may be waiting a long time. The truth is, we as individuals must take the first step. It is up to us to model kindness for our leaders, for our communities, and for each other. The words of the famous song, “Let There Be Peace on Earth, and Let It Begin with Me,” remind us that the change we seek starts with each of us.

 

But in a world divided, we must ask ourselves: How do we live out this call to kindness in practical ways? How do we “love our enemies” and “do good to them” when we live in a society that often rewards hostility, anger, and division?

 

When we think of the colours red and blue, we often think of division— it is a metaphor for more than just politics – of one side against the other. But when red and blue come together, they create purple, a colour rich with meaning. Purple represents unity, the blending of differences into something more beautiful. This purple space is where we can come together, not to erase our differences but to embrace the richness of diversity.

 

It’s about how we can come together, despite our differences, and create something that reflects the heart of God. In this “purple space,” we don’t try to erase the other’s beliefs or coerce them into our own. Instead, we discover the beauty that comes from working together toward the common good. This is not a call to uniformity but to unity.

 

We’re not erasing red, nor are we erasing blue. We’re blending them to create something richer—a community where kindness, humility, respect, and compassion prevail. And isn’t this the essence of the Golden Rule? To treat others with the same dignity and respect that we desire for ourselves. To act with kindness, even when we don’t see eye to eye. To seek to understand, rather than to be understood.

 

This “purple space” is where we find our common humanity. Did you know that more than 99% of our DNA is the same from one human to another? Despite all the differences we focus on, we are overwhelmingly alike. This shared humanity should compel us toward kindness. In fact, the word *kindness* comes from a root word meaning “family.” When we show kindness, we are treating others as kin, as members of the same family—God’s family. It’s a word rooted in the idea that we are bound together, not just by proximity, but by a deep and abiding connection. When we act with kindness, we are acting from the knowledge that we are family to one another, even if we don’t always see it that way.

 

But in today’s world, kindness is not always easy. We live in a culture that often rewards us for doing the opposite of what Jesus teaches. We are rewarded for hating our enemies, for mocking those who think differently than we do, for reducing their humanity to mere labels. But this kind of division comes at a cost. It corrodes our souls, poisons our relationships, and undermines the very fabric of society. What would happen if we stopped feeding into this culture of division and instead embraced the reward that Jesus speaks of—a reward that comes not from hating our enemies but from loving them?

 

What would our world look like if we chose to practice kindness in our everyday lives, if we extended grace to those who think differently from us, and if we sought to build bridges instead of walls? The reward Jesus speaks of is not just a heavenly one; it is the reward of a life well-lived, a life rooted in love and mercy. Jesus spells it out for us: It means loving our enemies. Doing good to those who hate us. Blessing those who curse us. Praying for those who mistreat us. This is not easy, and it goes against our instincts. But the radical kindness that Jesus speaks of is not transactional – it’s not “I’ll be kind to you if you’re kind to me.” It’s about embodying God’s boundless grace, extending that grace even when it feels undeserved.

 

Imagine, for a moment, that you are standing by the edge of a still, quiet pond. In your hand is a small, smooth stone. You feel its weight, and with a gentle toss, you let it go, watching as it arcs through the air and lands in the centre of the pond. The water ripples outward, each wave touching the next, moving further and further from the stone’s point of entry.

 

Now imagine that each of those ripples represents an act of kindness. A smile given to a stranger. A kind word spoken to a friend in need. A cup of tea shared with someone who is lonely.  A meal delivered to someone who is grieving. A gesture of forgiveness offered to someone who may not deserve it. These acts may seem small, even insignificant, but they matter. The kindness that Jesus calls us to isn’t just about individual acts; it creates a ripple effect in the world. Each action of kindness, each time we choose love over hate, understanding over judgment, creates a ripple that extends far beyond what we can see. These ripples can break down walls, heal divisions, and bring people together in ways that nothing else can. These ripples can send out waves that can change the world in ways we may never fully see. What if, instead of waiting for others to model kindness, we took the first step? What if we became the ones who create purple spaces, where love, respect, and compassion are the rule, not the exception?

 

That smile you offer might brighten someone’s day, making them more likely to show kindness to someone else. That kind word you speak might give someone the courage to continue in a difficult moment. The forgiveness you extend might mend a broken relationship, inspiring others to seek peace in their own lives. One small act of kindness might change someone’s day – but it could also transform their life.

 

Jesus calls us to be the stone that creates ripples of kindness in the world. It’s not always easy to be the one who initiates the ripple, especially when the pond of life feels murky or turbulent. But when we act with kindness—when we follow Christ’s call to “Do unto others as you would have them do to you”—we become part of a greater movement of love and grace. We become part of God’s creative incarnation of healing and transformation of the world.

 

Now, here’s the beautiful thing about those ripples: They don’t stop at the edge of the pond. Just as one ripple touches the next and moves outward, our kindness can extend beyond our own lives, beyond our own communities. One act of kindness can inspire another, and another, creating a wave of goodness that can reach further than we ever imagined.

 

As you leave this place today, I encourage you to carry this image of the pond with you. Consider the ways that your small acts of kindness—your words, your actions, your presence—can send ripples of love into a world that so desperately needs it. Each of us holds a stone, and each of us has the power to make waves of kindness that will ripple far beyond what we can see.

 

Let your kindness be the stone in the pond. Watch how the ripples spread. And trust that even in the smallest of actions, you are part of something much larger, something divine.

 

We remember that Jesus’ teaching in Luke is not just an abstract ideal; it is a practical call to action. It is a challenge to step out of the comfort of our political, social, and personal divisions and enter into a space where kindness reigns. It is a call to love, even when it is difficult, to extend mercy, even when it is undeserved, and to treat others as we wish to be treated.

 

Imagine if we turned up the volume on kindness in our daily interactions. What if, instead of seeing someone in red or blue—or seeing them as representing ‘other’ —we saw them as a child of God, deserving of respect and kindness? What if we made an intentional choice to enter into that purple space, to meet others with grace and mercy, just as God meets us?

 

As we move forward, let us carry the words of Jesus with us into our divided world. We don’t know what the future holds. Our world may continue to feel divided, and the political and social landscape may continue to shift. But as followers of Christ, we are called to live in hope. this is a call to live out kindness not just as an occasional gesture, but as a way of life. It’s about choosing, every day, to live by the words “Do unto others”—not because it’s easy, but because it’s the way to healing. Healing for ourselves. Healing for our communities. Healing for this deeply divided world.

 

Let us love radically. Let us be kind, even when it’s hard. Let us create purple spaces where compassion and humility reign. Let us create purple spaces in our lives, where red and blue meet, and where kindness, mercy, and love take root. And let us do this with the hope that, no matter how divided our world may seem, we can be the ones who bring it back together. We are called to believe that kindness can make a difference, that mercy can heal wounds, and that love can bridge divides. And let us do all of this with the deep conviction that together, we can build a world that reflects the goodness of God. May it be so. Amen.