This was written by a man who goes and does Prison ministry. It may explain why.
Got Milk?
The milk of human kindness is an expression Shakespeare coined some 400 years ago. It speaks of the kindness, care, and compassion for others. I think I was fortunate and am fortunate in that I see the milk of human kindness in many people around me. When I was a youth, I saw it in my grandparents. They were loving, caring people. Grandpa grew a garden and had milk and eggs and fruit so that no one ever left their home without a sack of produce or eggs, milk and a smile. Grandma took care of an old man for 20 years, fed him three squares a day and fixed up a snug room for him in the barn. I remember those things as if they were yesterday. Granddad had a different approach; he mowed the “old ladies” lawns and patched their roofs and gave them fish he’d caught earlier that day. Granny cared for those same old ladies in their waning years, many times hers was the last smile and kind voice they heard before leaving this earth.
Mom and Dad were the products of their parents and were/are the same way. Dad died in 2002. He and Mom were never rich by any American standard but they had enough to be able to give to others. Their technique was to always give anonymously, but as their son I couldn’t help but know the truth. Dad was a Boy Scout leader and a model of what manhood is all about. He was a father to a dozen cousins who lost their fathers and needed a good example. If he did it for those cousins, I think of the other folks who looked to him as a strong shoulder to lean on from time to time. Mom is known far and wide for her baking and cooking in general. You can’t visit Mom without being fed. It’s just not going to happen. Before she rolls out of bed each morning, she spends time talking to God about the folks who are hurting, needing prayer. I guess you could say I was destined to see how goodness is bestowed, without hidden agenda or motivation.
This milk of human kindness was thought to be too much of a good thing in Shakespeare’s writing. There was some suspicion about why anyone would be so filled with a loving, giving spirit. That doubt still happens to many people when they witness or are the beneficiary of unearned or undeserved thoughtfulness. There is a logical answer to why so many would think this way. It is much more common to encounter thoughtlessness and selfishness. Being thoughtful and selfless is almost counterintuitive. We are used to thinking, “What’s in it for me?” We are more accustomed to seeing people who act in such a way that their lives say, “I’m looking out for number one.” It is not surprising that this would be a common approach to life, common but not the best – not by a long shot.
Learning the miracle of kindness, care and compassion is a greater discovery than finding the Hope Diamond! Upon realizing that giving from a thankful heart is a bank account with no limits, it is easier to share the wealth. You cannot bankrupt the account. For every ounce of kindness you offer, you will see your account deposited with a gallon in return. You will never be disappointed. Even if the recipient never says thank you, you have the fulfillment which overflows from the Creator. You may have never heard God say, “This is my son (or daughter) in whom I am well pleased.” But you can feel it. It is a sense that comes from the heart and soul – not prideful or egotistical but soulful. The soul speaks for God and says, “Well done.” At some level of our thinking, we know that we did “the right thing” and for the right reasons. The right reason is to honor and aid another human being, another creation of God.
This inexhaustible source of benevolence is not measured in dollars and cents or any of the other typical units of measure. It is measured in the immeasurable of love and consideration. And it is measured in one measurement that we use daily – time. The time you spend listening to another person’s circumstance or dilemma is time in a new dimension. The replies you give do not have to solve the problem. Those replies may serve to heal or mend or restore or begin that process. The gift of our time and a caring ear can literally be the medicine that creates an environment in which healing can take place. Amazing.
I would hesitate to speak about this milk of human kindness if I had never been blessed by it. The things we witness we can speak about with authority. Gardeners believe in the future and have faith in the outcome of their faith in the future. They know the bounty of the harvest is almost always more substantial than the seeds which were planted. The crop from a row of corn and tomatoes and cucumbers overwhelms the gardener with its overflow. Family and friends and neighbors are able to share in the reward of this confidence in the yield of the harvest. This same truth applies to our consideration for others. If we plant with confidence and nurture those seeds, God will be pleased. And we will be blessed as we extend a blessing.
