Kindness

I recorded this episode on Palm Sunday 2026 and it was inspired by father Mike Schmitz’ homily. As I entered Holy Week this year - I’ve been reflecting on the kindness Jesus had, and how  the root of this virtue is sacrificial love. This one is a shorter minipod - but I just needed to share this because it really moved me. Praying it helps others become more like Jesus!

Transcript

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Are you a faith-driven woman ready to transform your health and fitness, level up your habits, and steward everything that God has blessed you with? If so, welcome to the Refinery Movement Podcast, the place for Christian women in fitness or women ready to step into it who want to build strong, faith-based habits that honor God and inspire their families and communities. I'm your host, AJ Amrine, lifelong athlete, former WWE superstar and founder of the Refinery Movement. My passion is to help women integrate faith and fitness and to make the church healthy again. Here we'll dive into powerful strategies, biblical principles, and practical tips to help you crush your goals. We'll also talk about balancing training, nutrition, and family life because you can steward the temple and still enjoy freedom, fun, and connection. So grab your protein shake, get comfy, and let's step into today's episode with boldness, clarity, and intention. Let's get refined.

SPEAKER_01 0:58

If someone's nice to you, but not the waiter, that's not a nice person. Let that sit for a second. Because we've been sold this version of kindness that is polite and pleasant and public, the guy who smiles at everybody. You can be kind to strangers and still not be a kind person. You can smile at the barista and tip the valet and say, have a blessed day to the cashier. And then when you walk into your home, you're short and cold, impatient, and easily triggered. And that isn't kindness. That is image management. I was listening to Father Mike Schmidt's homily this morning, and these are some of my notes from it. I absolutely loved it and I had to share because real kindness, it costs you something. It shows up where it's hardest. Not with strangers where it's easy, but with the people who know you, the people who know your history and can press on your wounds and see all of your imperfections and know everything and live in your everyday unfiltered life. Because it's easy to be kind when there's no friction. But what about when your spouse says the wrong thing? Or when your kid is testing your patience, when you're tired and overstimulated and your ego wants to snap. When you choose kindness in those moments, that's where kindness creates your character and becomes virtue. You can be nice to the mailman, but harsh in your own home, that's not kindness. The real measure isn't the polite smile at the grocery store. It's the patience that you give your children and the softness you choose when your ego wants to snap. Kindness to strangers might make people like you, but kindness at home, that creates character. And this is where it gets deeper because kindness, real, lasting, consistent kindness, it's rooted in sacrifice. There is no love without sacrifice. That's not just a cute quote. That is the gospel. That is what Jesus did for us. Jesus didn't love us when it was easy. He loved us on the cross. At his worst moment physically, he was still choosing mercy and forgiveness and love. And that's the model. Jesus is the model. He didn't love us out of convenience or comfort. He sacrificed. So here's the question: Where in life have you been performing kindness instead of becoming a kind person? Where are you saving your best energy for strangers, but giving your leftovers to the people who are closest to you and love you most? Because the truth is, if your kindness doesn't reach your home, it hasn't reached your heart. Kindness to strangers might make people like you, but kindness at home creates a person of character. So today I want to do something different. Don't focus just on being nice. I'm not saying to not smile at the grocery checkout lady and stuff, but focus on one moment of patience, one moment of restraint, and one moment where you choose softness over that ego. That is kindness, that is growth, and that is Christ in you. And people can see that light. Kindness isn't about being liked and about looking kind. It's about being formed. It's about becoming someone who reflects Jesus, not just in public, but in private. And you show that sacrificial love because image management isn't virtue. Sacrificial love is.