Love is kind

Love is kind

I recently listened to Carol Burnett read her autobiography, “This Time Together.” The star’s story is both entertaining and inspiring. Since I grew up in the 1960s and have watched many of her performances, I especially enjoyed the book.

One story I found particularly humorous occurred in the summer of 1959 as Burnett was enjoying her first success on the New York stage in, “Once Upon a Mattress.” A few months into their run, four cast members decided to celebrate after a show by visiting the city’s most expensive ice cream parlor, Rumplemeyers. It was well known and often visited by stars. The evening Burnett and her friends went to the parlor nearly every table was taken, though a few were available in a back corner.

While waiting to be seated, they were approached by an angry hostess. When she observed Burnett was wearing nice slacks, she became hateful and told her women were required to wear dresses in the establishment. When they did not leave fast enough to suit the hostess, she began screaming. Burnett was even more frustrated since she had observed a well-known star there earlier in a pant suit. She said, “all the hostess had to do was explain the rules…” and invite them to return another time. Anyone familiar with Burnett knows her quick wit, without missing a beat she said, “Please forgive me but I have a wooden leg and I’m too embarrassed to wear a skirt.” At that, every customer in Rumplemeyers became irritated with the hostess. Burnett dragged her leg as their group was seated and sat with her leg extended while she ate her hot fudge sundae.

No one will ever know why the Rumplemeyers’ hostess was so difficult that night; if she was often prickly, or if she was normally kind but had endured a rough day and snapped, taking her frustration out on Burnett. Either way, she was out of line. It is always wrong to treat others badly.

Our challenge is to be kind when we do not feel like it. Just because it is sometimes not easy, however, does not mean it is right. When the Apostle Paul defines love he says, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not… boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable…” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, NLT)

While most of us can find an excuse when we treat others with something less than kindness, there is no good excuse for treating people in ways we do not want to be treated. Paul is correct when he reminds us to love others by treating them with kindness and to not be proud, rude, or irritable with those we encounter. While that can be challenging at times, it is the right thing to do.