Opinion Column
Why not emulate the kindness of the bear?
Paddington Bear has chosen to rest awhile in Norwich Cathedral Close, and Andy Bryant encourages us to embrace the kind nature which has become one of the bear’s trademarks.
It has been wonderful to welcome Paddington Bear to stay in the Close at Norwich Cathedral. Few seem to be able to resist having a selfie with this bear with a rather strange marmalade habit.
When Aunt Lucy can no longer look after this young cub she sends him on a long (and dangerous) journey from Darkest Peru to England, and all based on her belief that we will be kind to strangers. As she explains:
“There was once a war in the explorer's country. People in England sent their children by train with labels around their necks, so they could be taken care of by complete strangers in the countryside where it was safe. They will not have forgotten how to treat strangers.”
With no more than a luggage label around his neck Aunt Lucy sends this young cub halfway around the world. She simply trusts in the innate kindness of human beings.
And what makes Paddington special is not that he is from Darkest Peru, not that he is a talking bear nor his marmalade habit. What makes him special is his absolute belief in kindness. As Aunt Lucy would put it: If we are kind and polite the world will be right or as Paddington says: If you look for the good in people you will find it.
Jesus calls us to love God and to love our neighbour. It sounds so simple and yet it is something we constantly struggle with, and in the face of all the challenges of the world it seems an inadequate response. It may sound a simplistic response and yet it is the beginning of changing the world.
One of the hallmarks of love is kindness. In the face of the anger, bitterness and judgementalism of the age, if we could all learn from Paddington and show more kindness to one another, the world really would be a very different place. As the bear puts it: It does not cost anything to be kind.
On a bench in The Close sits a bear waiting to invite others to come and sit beside him. He sits there a witness to the power of kindness, and passers-by cannot resist responding to the invitation, even if only for the briefest moment for a selfie. But they leave with a smile on their lips. Kindness warms hearts, and that is the beginning of changing lives.
Our Lord’s new commandment that we love one another offers the same invitation to the world. He walks beside us each day of our lives, waiting to be recognised, waiting for us to respond in love to him and to those we meet. It is such a simple request and if we dare to share a little love to those we meet, the world is changed.
Christianity affirms the significance of the little deed. Small acts of love and kindness are like yeast or salt (or even a marmalade sandwich!) - they make a difference.
Read our story about the Bear in the Close, here.
The photo above is courtesy of Andy Bryant.
Revd Andrew Bryant is the Canon for Mission and Pastoral Care at Norwich Cathedral. He was previously Team Rector of Portishead, Bristol, in the Diocese of Bath and Wells, and has served in parishes in the Guildford and Lichfield Dioceses, as well as working for twelve years with Kaleidoscope Theatre, a charity promoting integration through theatre for young adults with Down’s Syndrome.
You can read Andrew's latest blog entry here and can follow him via his Twitter account @AndyBry3.
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