Strength In Tenderheartedness

I'm a seasoned traveler, which means I have a system for nearly every aspect of each trip I take.  

I have TSA-Precheck, so I seldom wait very long in security lines, and even then, I am efficient. You don't have to worry about me holding up the line, and I never have to be searched because I left something in my pocket.    

I typically pack everything I need into carry-ons to avoid checking a bag.  And I'm extremely efficient at finding a seat, storing my bags, and not being the person who isn't ready and slows down the boarding process.  I also always get an aisle seat.  

The other day, I flew to Florida for a short trip to see my son.  Flights to Orlando from Austin are almost always filled with families on their way to Disney World, and I must admit, I try my best not to sit next to them.  

I've done my share of traveling with small children, and I'm sympathetic to parents who travel with them. I just prefer to have some peace and quiet while I fly to read, work, etc. 

So I was dismayed on this flight when a mom and her small daughter decided to sit next to me.  I was polite, but inside, I was dreading the commotion and noise that no doubt would ensue. 

Then, when the plane took off, I watched the little girl as she gazed out the window, marveling at the wonder of lifting off the ground and launching into the air.  She kept looking back at her mother with an expression of pure wonder and joy.  She was on her way to see Mickey Mouse; she was flying, and all was right in her world. 

My formerly hard-ish heart melted, and I learned a valuable lesson about being more tenderhearted and open.   

Author Keith Moore once wrote: 

“It takes a lot more Strength to be Kind, than to be hard hearted in a Hard World. To be Kind is to be Gracious and Tenderhearted. There are things that we cannot fix---but we can be Tenderhearted.”

The world often confuses toughness with strength. We are told to protect ourselves, to be unyielding, to never show weakness. 

Yet, as Keith Moore reminds us, true strength lies in tenderness. Kindness requires courage. Compassion demands vulnerability. And a tender heart is not a fragile one—it is a resilient heart shaped by love.

Jesus himself modeled this paradox of strength. He wept at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35), demonstrating that tears are not a sign of weakness but of profound love. 

He had compassion on the crowds, “because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Over and over, Christ demonstrated that power is not found in domination but in mercy, not in control but in grace.

The apostle Paul urged believers to “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). He was writing to a world even harder than ours, a world where retaliation and vengeance were considered signs of strength. But Paul, like Jesus, taught that living “heart-forward” is what transforms us—and through us, the world.

We cannot fix everything that is broken. Wars rage, injustices persist, and loved ones hurt us. Yet as Moore points out, we can be tenderhearted. We can offer gentleness where there is cruelty, kindness where there is bitterness, and love where there is fear. 

And when we do, we reveal the strength of Christ alive in us, “for His power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Soften your heart. Let love lead. The world may be hard, but you do not have to be. In fact, it is your tenderness that will point others to the One who is love itself.

Prayer:
Gracious God, give me the courage to live with a tender heart in a hard world. Help me choose kindness when it would be easier to close myself off. May my life reflect the compassion of Christ, who showed us that love is the truest strength. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. Where in my life am I tempted to close my heart instead of choosing kindness?

2. How has someone’s tenderness or compassion toward me changed my perspective or life?

3. What would it look like for me to live “heart-forward” this week?