How can we be kind?
Kindness is often mistaken for passivity or politeness, but true kindness is deeply courageous.
It requires us to stay present in difficult moments, to act with integrity, and to see the humanity in others even when we disagree.
For Quakers, kindness is rooted in the belief that there is that of God in everyone. This understanding calls us to hold space for both resistance and compassion: to speak out against harm while still reaching out in hope of connection.
The reflections below explore what it means to practise this kind of active, grounded kindness in the face of fear and division. Yearly Meeting was inspiring, and it was a joy to worship with so many other Quakers.
However, as the epistle says, ‘We have done some heart-searching and some heart-breaking, and our discomfort contributed to deeply gathered worship.
We are reminded that the central message of the New Testament is one of love. We are called to challenge tyranny; and to love everyone, even those who do bad things. This is an anxious time for the world, even more so now than when we met last year. We have been challenged to welcome, accept, and nurture the radical peacemaker in ourselves and in others. We have also explored how we, as Quakers, address violence and conflict in our communities.
Kindness in Action: Balancing Courage and Compassion in a Divided World
Quakers believe there is that of God in everyone, no matter what they do.
After some powerful ministry, a Friend urged us to stay ready – to protest, to act, and to speak truth to power when it matters most.
With one hand, we raise a clear ‘stop’ gesture. We refuse to let harmful actions go unchallenged. We stand alongside those who suffer and make our witness known.
With the other hand, we reach out to those we confront. We show our willingness to listen, to connect, and to seek common ground.
At the Swarthmore Lecture on Saturday, many spoke about staying rooted in communities of compassionate care. They named the fear that often creeps in where love, kindness, and connection should be.
It reminded us powerfully: we’re not here to stay comfortable or safe – we’re here to follow the promptings of love and truth in our hearts.
We need not go to the ends of the earth to find [magnificent opportunities]; we need not be young, clever, fit, beautiful, talented, trained, eloquent or very wise. We shall find them among our neighbours as well as among strangers, in our own families as well as in unfamiliar circles – magnificent opportunities to be kind and patient and understanding. This is a vocation just as truly as some more obviously seen as such – the vocation of ordinary men and women called to continual, unspectacular acts of loving kindness in the ordinary setting of every day. ... How simple it sounds; how difficult it often is; how possible it may become by the grace of God.
The Swarthmore Lecture
The Swarthmore Lecture has two key purposes. It helps Quakers explore their message and mission. It also introduces the wider public to the spirit, aims, and core principles of Friends.
The lecture takes place each year during Britain Yearly Meeting. Woodbrooke organises and funds the event as part of its learning programme. It holds an important place in both Woodbrooke’s work and the life of Quakers in Britain.
You can find more about the lectures on the Woodbrooke website.
Wendrie Heywood
MBS Founder
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