Being kind to one another is human nature. Contrary to the belief sunk deep into Western thought, that human beings are by nature selfish and governed by self-interest, it is realistic, as well as revolutionary, to assume that people are good. The instinct to cooperate rather than compete, trust rather than distrust, goes right back to the beginning of Homo sapiens. There’s a toughness about kindness just as there is a toughness about love, and about speaking truth in love. To cultivate it requires a prayerful self-awareness and self-discipline. To practice it can transform our world.
A talk for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity, 1 August 2021.
Find the text to this and all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.