Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

Years ago, it was considered a common courtesy to rewind the rented VHS movies before  returning them. And to remind us of this act of kindness, a label was placed on the cassette that read, “Be Kind, Rewind.“ It’s pretty much the same principle as returning the shopping cart to the proper spot. I was with my mother-in-law once when she returned her cart to the outdoor stall in the parking lot. Not only did she return the cart, she straightened out several others that were in disarray inside the stall. Her act of kindness made an impression on me. I will occasionally straighten them out too and I think of her.

My sister-in-law gave me a decorative sign that reads: Do the kindest things in the kindest way. It hangs close to another sign: “Do small things with great love.” Kindness is a priceless attribute that’s often ignored. There’s a New Testament scripture that always reminds me of my sweet mother: “Make yourselves beautiful on the inside, in your hearts, with the enduring quality of a gentle, peaceful spirit. This type of beauty is very precious in God’s eyes” (1 Peter 3:4 CEB.) Mom had dark sparkling eyes, an exuberant laugh, and a kind spirit that was a blessing to those who knew her.

Living like Jesus is living as kind people. Believers are to practice kindness every day. “Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ” (Ephesians 4:32 CEB.) Part of being kind is not holding a grudge by being quick to forgive. When we practice forgiving, we‘re practicing kindness and the beneficial result is personal peace.

“Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12 NLT.) Christ followers should have a desire to treat people with a sense of importance and respect. Encouraging one another with words of affirmation should be a daily goal for us. When we put others before ourselves we show them they are acknowledged, loved,  and valued. Giving kindness is like water to a plant, catnip to a kitten, or a bone to a dog.

The ability to listen is nearly nonexistent in today’s culture. However, really listening is an excellent example of kindness. A kind person doesn’t butt in to make themselves the topic of the conversation. Plus they’ll ask comfortable questions and turn their attention to the other individual. When we’re engaged in listening, sometimes the individual isn’t seeking a solution, but rather a kind person with whom to share their concerns. Wherever there are people, there are opportunities for kindness.

Here’s a great scripture if ever there was one: “…You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (James 1:19 NLT.) My favorite movie star, John Wayne, must have read his Bible because he’s been quoted as saying: “Talk low, talk slow, and don’t say too much.” It’s been said that because we were created with two ears and one mouth, we should listen twice as much as we talk.

When someone has a heartache, we’re being kind and wise when we empathize. “When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness” (Proverbs 31:26 NLT.)  Let’s be like Jesus and show more kindness to all who cross our path.

The Key: The positive effects of kindness are eternal.

Dave and I have two new houseguests.  In the beginning, I enjoyed their company, but recently I’ve become annoyed with them. Hubby finds them kind and cooperative.  Probably because his wish is their command. He makes a request, and they speedily comply. He’s loving it and appears overly grateful and mannerly when these womenfolk respond.

“Siri, please set my alarm for 6:30”

“Okay.  Your alarm is set.”

“Thank you.”  (Dave seriously thanks her.  He thanks a robot, and it responds with “You’re welcome” or “My pleasure.”)

The other night, when he asked her to set his alarm, he altered his request.

“Thank you, Sweetie,” he said, thinking himself funny.

She did not answer.  Dave waited, staring at his cellphone.

“Dave,” I said, “You ticked her off when you called her ‘Sweetie.’  You crossed a line.”

“I did not.  She appreciated me being nice to her.”

This scenario was repeated the following night.  Still no “Thank you” from Siri.

“Told you,” I said.

When Hubby tried it with Alexa, she, too, failed to appreciate his term of endearment.

“You haven’t earned the right to call her “Sweetie,” and you don’t live in the South where everyone calls everyone “Sugar,” “Honey,” or “Sweetie.”

When I realized I was lecturing him on how to talk to a robot, I knew that we both were in mid-stages of brain decline.

Dave decided to trick Alexa to determine if she really was listening to our conversations, whispering to me ahead of time what he was doing before saying loudly, “Patty, I think we should buy a new vacuum,” pointing his face towards our new friend. Within minutes, Dave’s iPad lit up with ads for vacuums.

Personally, I found that alarming.

We are entering a world where AI (Artificial Intelligence) is causing us to question where we are headed.  We appreciate that it directs our driving routes, screens job applicants and has tremendous potential in medicine and science, but we must ask where it all ends.

Today, I asked Alexa if we humans are special among other living things.  She said that we were because we can think and be creative. I was glad she didn’t lump us in with vegetables and animals.

In Linda Kinstler’s article “Can Silicon Valley Find God,” she wrote about Rob Barrett, a researcher at IBM in the ’90s.

One day, he was outlining the default privacy settings for an early web browser feature. His boss, he said, gave him only one instruction: “Do the right thing.” It was up to Mr. Barrett to decide what the “right thing” was. That was when it dawned on him: “I don’t know enough theology to be a good engineer,” he told his boss. He requested a leave of absence so he could study the Old Testament, and eventually he left the industry.

Recently, I read that AI writes sermons and that there is an AI Jesus app where the app speaks to you as if it’s Jesus talking to you.  “What is going to be created will effectively be a god,” engineer Andrew Levandowski forewarned and continued, “It’s not a god in the sense that it makes lightning or causes hurricanes. But if there is something a billion times smarter than the smartest human, what else are you going to call it?”

Certainly, not God, Mr. Levandowski.

My God is eternal, omnipresent and omniscient.  He created the person who programs the AI system, and He not only offers us eternity, He delivered it by sending His son, Jesus Christ, to die for us, something AI can only imagine doing.

He is the only god I will call “God.”  I am concerned for those who do otherwise.