Dear God, If I can not be brilliant, let me be kind. If I can not change the world, let me inspire just one other to do so. If I can not give away riches, let me be loving. Let me be known for kindness, for it is the greatest glory Amen
“Those who withhold kindness from a friend forsake the fear of the Almighty. Job 6:14
There is a lot of power behind a kind word or a kind action. One wonderful example of the power of kindness can be seen in the 2017 film reboot of Power Rangers. It centers around a ragtag bunch of misfit teenagers who are suddenly given strange powers from five strange coins. Even before they get their powers, however, Jason, who becomes the leader of the team, shows kindness to Billy, a classmate who is on the autism spectrum.
Billy’s devotion as the brains and heart of the team lead to him making the ultimate sacrifice, laying down his life to protect his friends. Thankfully, the mysterious alien mentor, Zordon, helps Billy return from the dead and the friendship that the five rangers have leads to them creating the Megazord, which sends the bad guy out of their world. Literally.
What made the Power Rangers film so good, at least for me, was that it focused on the five rangers growing in friendship and camaraderie with each other. They started out as the 2017 version of The Breakfast Club: an athlete, a princess, a brain, a basket case, and a delinquent. Through the kindness that Jason showed to Billy and the various instances where they showed kindness to each other, they were able to harness their new powers and protect their town from evil.
Kindness can be a superpower all on its own. In Greek folklore, kindness has the power to tame a lion. In comic books, kindness is what separates the heroes from the villains. In our world, kindness is something we really need right now. We’re constantly surrounded by hateful comments and arguments, especially online. We might be willing to lay down our lives for our friends, but will we lift a finger to say a kind word to someone we consider our enemy? Would we go out of our way to befriend an outsider or show compassion to those in need beyond just giving a dollar to a panhandler on the street?
How can we be kind to someone today?
To Jesus through Mary-Monique Ocampo
