Kindness: August 3, 2010

Today's Word for Tuesday August 3, 2010

KINDNESS

DEFINITION

Considerate; helpfulness; goodness; benevolence; friendliness; mercifulness; the state or quality of being kind; a kind act; favor; kind behavior; friendly feeling.

SCRIPTURE

"He who restrains his lips is wise." Proverbs 10:19

"Hatred stirs up strife, but kindness [love] covers all sins" Proverbs 10:12

"But if you love those that love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those that love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. So love your enemies, do good, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the most high. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful [kind], just as your father also is merciful."
Luke 6:32-33, 35-36


KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

As you read the above scriptures, did you notice that when you show love you show kindness? But you must not only love those that love you but you also must love your enemies as God so loved the world. That makes it much harder, doesn't it?

Emily Dickinson once said: "Some say that a word is dead when it is said. I say it just begins to live that day." Nothing can hurt more then a harsh word. The words we say may have many types of consequences. As Christians we need to constantly ask God to give us words of kindness to all we meet. We also need to show kindness by our actions even to those who wish us harm.

Our actions and our words need to reflect the heart of Jesus who showed His mercy and kindness toward us when He paid the ultimate price to come to our rescue when we needed Him the most. Our comments and our complaints may stick with the hearer for decades. Unkind words once spoken can never be taken back. My [Dottie] mother admonished me that if I could not say something nice it would be better to say nothing at all.

Down through the years I [Ken] have numerous times mispronounced words particularly Spanish ones in front of my children. They never let me live them down. Our six children, and now even their spouses and our grand children, never forget these mispronounced words and year after year at family functions those words come back at me, mispronounced just like I said them. It is done in fun so my response has always been to laugh with them, but if I chose to be hurt then the family would no doubt react differently. The point is that words do stick with the hearer for decades.

Several years ago I was having lunch with a Christian leader who was President of a ministry. We were talking about the past when he reminded me that we had met close to 45 years ago and we had had a lengthy conversation about the value of investing our lives in Christian ministries. He thanked me several times during our recent visit, for being so kind to listen to him and to respond to his needs. Kindness sometimes is just giving some time and listening. He went on to say that the conversation we had made a lasting impression on his life. I took the time to be kind to him at a time when he was searching for God's will in his life.

Words of kindness and encouragement that are given may not seem much when given, but so many times kind words are never forgotten. Hurtful harsh words make a deep impression and are most difficult to forget. As Christians we need to make sure our words are at all times words of kindness and encouragement.

LEARNING

Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 1:21:

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

PRAYER

Thank You dear Lord for the opportunity You give us to serve You today. Help our family to show kindness to those whom we meet. Help us to restrain our lips when some word or thought hurts us. Lead us to respond by being kind and loving just as You have told us in Your Word. Thank you for teaching us to help the poor, the rich, the sick and the healthy just as You so loved us. May the joy of the Lord show forth in our words and deeds.