The End Game of a Life of Service
Exactly what does kindness look like? I'll show you.
When you search the word “Kindness” on Google and click on images, you get the above picture. And if you look up quotes about kindness, you get little pearls of wisdom like this:
“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”—The 14th Dalai Lama.
“A part of kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve.”—Joseph Joubert
Who’s Joseph Joubert, you ask? He was a French dude who is remembered for his thoughts. Seriously, his thoughts.
“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.”—Princess Diana.
I didn’t know Princess Diana personally, but if you search on her name, you’ll see she backed up her kindness with action.
“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” —Mother Teresa. Okay, this one is a little more specific, and it happens to be my favorite.
But what exactly are these acts of kindness that so many people speak of?
Okay - let’s look at the dictionary. (Stay with me here 🤔)
Kindness: noun
1. the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
Again, there is no example. It’s all pretty vague. Nowhere does it say what kindness really means? Like, how do you perform actual acts of kindness?
This is a question I was asking myself as I recently made the trip from South Carolina to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, for my uncle, Colonel Charles “Skip” Harrington’s funeral. He’s the last one of his generation, my uncle and mom’s brother, who had an extraordinary life full of kindness.
An accomplished life of service to others.
A little about my Uncle Skip from his obituary:
Colonel Charles (Skip) Francis Harrington, Jr., 90, went home to his Lord and Savior on Monday, July 31st, 2023. Skip was born in Newark, New Jersey on June 7, 1933. Raised on the Jersey Shore and graduating from Asbury Park High School, Skip entered the Air Force in 1950. As a decorated fighter pilot, Skip flew many missions and served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He was known as Papa Wolf while leading the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron, stationed in Ubon, Thailand. Skip was awarded numerous service medals, including the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for his leadership and valor. He retired in 1978 after 27 years of devoted service to his country. Upon retirement, Skip became the Commandant of Cadets and later, the Headmaster of Admiral Farragut Academy in Pine Beach, NJ. He continued displaying his amazing leadership qualities, instilling honor and pride in the academy's cadets.
That’s pretty heroic. But when I look in between the lines of the obituary, I see a man who voluntarily, at barely 18, entered the war as a fighter pilot to save the country from communism by defending America and democracy in a jet. Skip flew the F4 - example pictured below.
Just so I have this correct: He signed up, voluntarily, to risk death by flying a large airplane armed with ammunition into a war zone at the age of eighteen when most kids are still kids. And as you can read, that was just the beginning.
What I really want to touch on here is the spirit inside this man to dedicate his life to the service of others and how we can be inspired by it.
Service to the Lord.
Service to his family.
Service to his country.
Service to strangers who, not all, but most, became his lifelong friends.
His service to my Aunt Carol when she had cancer. Being such a dedicated husband and staying with her until the end of her life, all while being so strong. His service to the wonderful woman who became his second wife and caring for her in her time of need battling dementia until the end of his life this past August. A rather quiet man whose dedication to people was part of his DNA.
People he touched packed into his funeral. Seriously, you couldn’t find a seat. Every single attendee had an inspirational story about Skip, all about how he selflessly helped them with something they needed. And it reminded me exactly what this life that God has gifted me with is about: service to others.
My new mantra that I try to repeat to myself is: How can I help you? Because, you know what? I don’t care if anyone remembers me for what I looked like, what books I wrote, or the clothes I wore, how big my house was, what I drove (Except if I had one of those cool redone old Ford Broncos) or any of those things. To leave society better off than if I hadn’t been here. That’s what Uncle Skip did, and I’m so lucky to see an example from him of how I want my life to go.
Matthew 6:1-4
1 “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts a before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
If you were to advise people on how to give of themselves, what advice would you give?