Why Has Our World Come To Be Less Caring

"Imagine what would happen through you if you shared your testimony, gave God the time He deserves, used your talents and gifts to serve Him by serving others, and invested God's treasures in a way that changed the world" – Tim Passmore.

Think about that, "…used your talents and gifts to serve Him by serving others." For centuries, women have recognized the power of kindness. Not only does being kind help others around you, but it positively impacts your life as well.

But, it seems life has taken women to a place where we no longer value kindness as a trait. Compassion has been swapped with self-importance and wanting to stay impersonal. My question is, why has our world come to be less kind?

Is it that we no longer are concerned about others? Do we think kindness makes us weaker? Is this lack of kindness from some global change?

The truth is, kindness has become less and less important in our daily lives for several reasons.

• Our environments cause women to retreat from others. Living in congested cities among strangers can make you quickly hide your natural tendency to be generous and kind to others. People have found it safer by keeping to themselves with crime, kidnappings, murders, and other fears running wild in many cities. Road rage prevents people from stopping to help someone with car trouble.
• Our upbringing was different 30 years ago. Women believed in helping each other. Neighbors looked out for each other. People were not fearful to help the poor and needy. Children were trained to respect others and be reliable and truthful.

Nowadays, people are more afraid to exhibit kindness. There is fear that we will be criticized for what we say or do. We do not want to be seen as vulnerable and get hurt. So, we confront others with our actions and words as a way of self-protection.

• Self-centeredness and greediness are commonplace. These vices are other reasons kindness has taken a backseat. Most women concentrate on their own lives, getting ahead and doing anything they think is required to do better than the other person.

Women are worried about taking care of themselves before reaching out and extending some kindness to others. We have become societies of "me first". That was not seen as often, even just a few short years ago.

• Technology rules our lives. It has taken the place of the individual face-to-face, voice-to-voice interactions from our pasts. Women no longer pick up the phone, much less meet face-to-face, to actually talk to each other. Today we spend our time texting, posting, getting involved in others' drama, or playing pointless games on our cell phones, computers, tablets, and even our watches.

Technology has allowed us to say it is okay to be late all the time. After all, we can text our friend we are running late, and they will know. It is taken away the common courtesies of saying hello, nice to meet you, please, thank you, and how can I help you.

People no longer smile at others when we pass by each other. We no longer express sympathy or assist someone having a difficult day. Instead, we leave an emoji on our social media post or in a text and call it done.

There are apps for everything. Want to start a relationship? Use that app. Want to order your dinner? Use that app. Are those apps doing away with the connectedness we once felt that created kindness? Perhaps.

• Women are always in such a hurry. Our lives have become so fast-paced, so packed with appointments and places to go, that we no longer make the time to listen to each other.

Kindness has taken the backseat to greed, technology, poor manners, and the environment we live in today. Instead of showing kindness, women are afraid to be seen as the 'nice one' because others might take advantage of them.

But, what does God say about kindness?

When you need the inspiration to keep fighting the kind fight, go to the Bible and read scripture. It is a great way to get instruction and inspiration. Here are some of my favorite Bible verses about being kind to get you started (all in King James Version).

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, ⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; ⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; ⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 ¹¹ Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Ephesians 4:32 ³² And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Galatians 5:13 ¹³ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Galatians 6:9-10 ⁹ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. ¹⁰ As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Luke 6:27 ²⁷ But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

Luke 6:35 ³⁵ But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Matthew 5:40-43 ⁴⁰ And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. ⁴¹ And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. ⁴² Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. ⁴³ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

Matthew 7:12 ¹² Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Proverbs 12:25 ²⁵ Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

Bible verses are our ideal source of inspiration to prompt us on how vital it is to be kind to each other. We are supposed to treat others the way we wish to be treated. We never know the impact our kindness may have on other individuals.