The Healthy Spiritual Journey • August 2025 – The Healing Power of Kindness

“Do to others as you would have them do to you…” – Luke 6:31

What would it take to become the kindest medical school in the world, and why would any group of administrators wish to achieve that goal? Well, hardly a day goes by that I do not hear a complaint about the way modern medicine is practiced: It takes forever to get an appointment. My doctor does not listen. Time spent in the waiting room seems like an eternity. He does not seem to care about me. She seems distracted. In a world marked by division, hurry, and noise, kindness remains a quiet force of potential transformation. Most medical schools are good at teaching the science of medicine; but not as many focus on “bedside manner”. Our hope, at Avalon University School of Medicine where I serve as Dean of Clinical Science, is that we will be outstanding in teaching both. That is the best way! The science of medicine, done well, is a powerful healer; but there is also healing power in kindness. They heal synergistically. Science and compassion, working together, produce a healing effect greater than the sum of their individual parts. If medical students understand this, they become the best doctors. They become the doctors we want for our healthcare and for the healthcare of our family and friends.

At some point during our medical students’ orientation, I ask “What is The Golden Rule”? Sadly, very few of them can respond: “Do to others as you would have them do to you”. When the students understand the importance of this simple concept, it becomes a moral compass and a call to action for them. It invites them to imagine themselves in another’s shoes so that they can respond with empathy, compassion, and grace. The Golden Rule, I tell them, guided almost every decision that I made during more than forty years of practicing obstetrics and gynecology. The Golden Rule, with its emphasis on kindness, has the power to help achieve right decisions in most physician-patient interactions. However, it has also been recommended by most religious groups as guidance for their followers as well.

Kindness is more than politeness or good manners. It is a deliberate act of God-like love. When we extend kindness, we offer a balm to wounds we may never see. Thoughtful words, active listening, and helping hands are not small gestures. They are lifelines to remind others that they are seen, valued, worthy of love, and capable of healing – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Acts of kindness release oxytocin, not surprisingly called “the love hormone”, which reduces stress and boosts heart health.

As we continue our healthy spiritual journey, remember that no one has to go to medical school to practice the healing power of kindness. Kind gestures such as holding a door, sending a message to check-in, or smiling easily in someone’s direction can reach a wound that may be hidden. Add a little natural compassion to those kind gestures and no telling what kind of healing may occur. The thing about kindness is that it is one of those win-win situations – the giver and receiver both win; and the ripple effects will last long after the kindness is shared. Go and do a random act of kindness as soon as you finish reading this. Do not delay! Try it now and start experiencing the healing power of kindness.

In God’s love, 

Lanny F. Wilson, MD

“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” – Steve Maraboli