Being Kind Is More Important Than Being Right (John 8:7)

Company refrigerators are a sore point for companies of every size. Issues such as theft of employee’s food, rotting food, and regular cleaning of the refrigerator all need to be addressed. This issue was slightly different. One employee is a stickler for observing expiration dates on food containers. He disposed of containers of coffee cream, salad dressing, and other condiments. While noteworthy, in his zeal, he disposed of food items that belonged to other employees, without first notifying them. To their annoyance, they found their bottles of salad dressings in the rubbish can, questioning who did this.

I called a meeting to establish a refrigerator policy. I acknowledged that perishable food products do display an expiration date and regardless of how any of us consider whether such dates need to be strictly followed, they are placed there for a purpose. Therefore, if anyone observed that a food item was beyond the expiration date, they should inquire to whom the item belonged and respectfully ask that they remove it. Under no circumstance will an employee discard another employee’s food product without first informing them. The staff all agreed with this policy.

After the meeting, I privately told the employee. “Sometimes being kind is more important than being right.”

Kindness.

Jesus Christ illustrated this principle in the beautiful and touching story of a woman caught in adultery. The scribes and Pharisees brought this woman to Jesus and proclaimed that Moses commanded that they stone a woman for such a crime. What did He say? They were correct and Jesus would be legally correct to command that she be stoned. Instead, He bent down and began to write with His finger on the ground. They persisted on asking Him until Jesus replied with the following...

And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

John 8:7 (ESV)

Jesus’ answer stunned the zealous scribes and Pharisees. He did not deny that the woman had committed a crime. He did not deny that she should be punished. Instead, He showed mercy and kindness to the woman.

And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."

John 8:8-11 (ESV)

Being kind. Being right. Being merciful.

Only God is able to perfectly do all.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.