Be kind to unkind people, they need it the most.
When Bryan Brown was waiting in line to pay for gas, he was unexpectedly yelled at by a stranger. Rather than reacting with anger, he and the man behind him in line decided to respond with compassion:
“I was just in line at the gas station to get some gas minding my own business.. It was this young lady in front of me taking forever.. I overheard the cashier tell her that both of the cards were declined she said, ‘Is something wrong with your machine?'”
“She turned around to walk away and I had a smile on my face.. She said to me ‘why are you f**king smiling?’ I said to her ‘watch your mouth; I always smile and you should too.’ I looked at the cashier and said, ‘What pump number is she on?’ He said, ‘Pump number two, why?’ I said, ‘Can I put $20 on pump number two for her?’ He said, ‘are you serious she was very rude to you’.”
“It was another black guy behind me he said go ahead and fill it up… We both went half on her gas.. When we walked outside to tell her about the gas this lady apologized so many times, crying her eyes out..she went inside her truck to show us her new hire paperwork☺️ she started work on Monday so she needed gas for the week until she gets paid… Lord thank you for reminding me of all the reasons why I should keep a smile on my face. That goes to show you we never know what a person is going through And we all have a purpose on this earth!”
While it can be easy to react with frustration and anger when someone is unkind to us, it’s important to remember that it is usually those who are unhappy and are suffering themselves that act this way. Sometimes an act of love and kindness can restore the love and light in a person’s heart who has become bitter from being in pain.
Bryan’s compassion changed the heart of the woman who could not afford her gas, and she likely will remember the experience for years to come. The next time someone is rude or unkind to you, instead of reacting back, consider doing something kind for them, free from a need for any thank you or result. While it may or may not change their heart that day, your beautiful action will plant seeds of love and of compassion in them.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”
~Martin Luther King Jr.
You are Loved.
See Also: Patton Oswalt And His Fans Transformed A Twitter Troll’s Life Through An Incredible Act Of Kindness
