True Kindness Is Tested in Hardship
Kindness is easy when life is comfortable. When people have financial security, social status, and stability, generosity flows effortlessly. From the safety of privilege, compassion is preached, patience is praised, and moral ideals are upheld.
But true kindness is not measured by words spoken in comfort—it is tested in adversity. If those who are celebrated for their virtue suddenly lost their wealth and protection, would they still embody the same warmth and generosity? Or would survival instincts override their ideals?
The Bible states:
“You know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)
Faith and virtue are strengthened not in abundance, but through struggle.
Religious leaders in Vatican City are often praised for their wisdom and benevolence, yet their words are spoken from a place of safety. Would their teachings hold the same power if they were spoken inside the overcrowded prisons of El Salvador, where desperation and hopelessness prevail? Would their kindness endure if their surroundings turned hostile?
True virtue is forged not in privilege, but in struggle. To act with goodness when there is no external pressure to do so is admirable—but to maintain compassion when everything urges you to abandon it, that is the ultimate test of character.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)
Perhaps kindness is not just about having the means to give—it is about holding onto it, even when you have nothing left.
And, of course, I say this from the safety of my own position, far from the struggles I speak of. Because let’s be honest—preaching about kindness is always easier when the world is not testing you.
