The quote has been attributed to several people:
Plato.
Socrates.
Reverend John Watson.
Ian MacLaren.
As it turns out, Ian MacLaren is actually the pen name for the aforementioned Reverend John Watson, a Scottish author and theologian who lived the majority of his life during the second-half of the nineteenth century. He passed away in 1907 at the age of 57.
Ten years earlier, in 1897, the Reverend Watson was invited by the popular religious newspaper, the British Weekly, to submit a Christmas message. He responded with a single sentence:
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
At the time, the paper editorialized and said, “No message is more needed in our days of stress and storm, of selfish striving and merciless competition.”
Remember – this was in 1897!
It’s easy to romanticize the past, especially the times in which we’ve never lived, and to think things were pretty close to ideal back then, especially when compared to the modern challenges of today.
But the reality is often otherwise.
Every era has its own challenges, of course. I think this is what led the writer of Ecclesiastes to state rather poetically, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (1:9).
Having served here at the ministry for nearly 30 years, and in corporate America prior to joining Focus, I can attest to what you already know: When people are involved, things are not always as they seem on the surface.
A co-worker who comes to work each morning with a smile on their face may very well be struggling in their marriage or maybe mourning a prodigal child.
The neighbor you happily wave to each day may have just lost a parent or received unfavorable test results.
A city of a million people has a million stories because “…everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
Maybe that someone is YOU.
The Christmas season, in all its assumed merriment, can be a challenging time of year for hurts of the heart. Don’t shy away from them or from people who are struggling. I believe the Lord has deliberately put them in your path for a divine purpose.
I would like to encourage you to remember to be sensitive and considerate to those in your circle. Christmas actually provides us with an opportunity to extend an extra measure of kindness. Maybe you can bless those in your neighborhood with some baked goods, or even a small gift. It doesn’t have to be fancy or significant. It’s the thought behind it that counts.
As the world seems to grow more cold and more coarse with each passing day, it’s a Christian’s response that can provide the antidote and balm to help soothe the burns of the world.
So, remember this quote. Maybe you might want to put it up on your refrigerator or on a card in your car:
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
I welcome your thoughts.
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