Winning Words 8/23/12
“Kindness is in our power, while fondness is not.”  (Samuel Johnson)  Samuel knew the difference between the words, kindness and fondness, because he wrote one of the first English dictionaries.  Do you see how you can be kind to certain people without necessarily being fond of them?  I wonder how Jesus, in his humanity, dealt with that?  I guess that in his preaching and in his teaching, he gave us the answer.    ;-)  Jack

 FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  Strange, but I like to think that Jesus was kind and also fond of the Samaritan woman, the adulteress, the people he healed, the people he fed, Lazarus whom he raised from the dead, the tax collectors, the prostitutes, all the children, the thief on the cross, Judas, the poor, the hungry, the thirsty. All people I can identify with. But wonder if he was kind and also fond of the pharaisees, the scribes, the religious authorities. In my own mind, it's not enough to be kind externally to people, the struggle is to be kind in my heart and fond of people I have struggles with, people I disagree with but whom have the support and are given power by so many others. If I had lived back in Jesus day, I would probably have been so confused between trying to listen to the pharaisees, the scribes, the religious authorities and listening to Jesus tell me to be kind and fond of everyone. Love my enemies. It's awesome what He did and every day I enjoy living with Him and trying to be kind and fond. In some respect He didn't have any enemies because He was bigger than them and not small-minded. His world was a circle around them. Thanks for your WW. ////FROM JACK:  In the musical, Jesus Christ, Superstar, some people see Jesus as being fond of Mary Magdalene.  I wonder if the humanity of Jesus extends that far?  If he is truly God and truly human, as the theologians say, I guess that it could be true.

 FROM PEPPERMINT MARY:  kindness matters.////FROM JACK:  Fondness does, too...just in a different way.////MARY RESPONSE:  Undeniable so.  I have been concentrating on kindness lately.  I have been giving away "Kindness Matters" car magnets when people comment on my little red beetle's display.  I think that I may have started a movement in my own little part of the world.  I am so very fond of humanity and the surprises that it brings!

 FROM ILLINOIS LIZ:  I am kind to people I am not fond of every day at work!////FROM JACK:  Do you suppose there's a difference between fond and like?  Do think that fond is only a word that relates to a people interaction?  Grammatiacally...probably, yes, but in my mind, perhaps.////LIZ:  "Fond" sounds chummier than "like" in one respect, and shallower in another... the joy of semantics!

 FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  I suppose that falls the same category as loving someone and not necessarily liking them.///FROM JACK: In the Bible, the word, love, can be interpreted to mean three different kinds of love...brotherly, erotic and Godly.  I wonder it something similar is true toward the word, like.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Probably too true, but as we get to know and understand what made a certain person the way he/she is, we may be able to be "fond" of them. This has happened in my life, a number of times. But Kindness is a most endearing trait...May we all be 'kinder than necessary" !~!////FROM JACK:  I like more people than I'm fond of.

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  We can be kind to total strangers but to be fond of them would be nearly impossible.  Thankfully, Jesus loves them all.////FROM JACK:  Does loving them encompass being fond of them?

 FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Useful thought. Love it….////FROM JACK:  There's a song somewhere in there.

 FROM DB IN MICHIGAN:  Ironically, I found a similar message about the same day!  (You both must be on the same page!)////FROM JACK:  I'm fond of thoughts on kindness.