Kindness: September 5, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2013.

KINDNESS

DEFINITION: 

The quality of being friendly, generous and considerate; showing consideration.

SCRIPTURE:

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

Do everything in love. I Corinthians 16:14

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

Love is patient, love is kind. I Corinthians 13:4.

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 it by acts of kindness? But you must not only love and show kindness to those that love you but you also must love and show kindness to your enemies just as God loves you and is merciful and kind to you. 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 than a harsh word. The words we say may have long lasting consequences. As Christians we need to constantly ask God to help us show kindness to all we meet.  Kindness can be expressed by our words. We also need to show kindness by our actions even to those who wish us harm.

It is in our heart that we store our feelings and it is what is in our heart that motivates our actions. Before we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and been set free from sin, the desires of our sinful nature hold sway in our heart. When we accept Jesus as our Savior the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us and produces the fruits of the Spirit within us. These fruits of the Spirit are the character traits of Christ: love, joy, peace, patience, KINDNESS, goodness, gentleness and self-control.

Our actions and our words need to reflect the heart of the One who 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 and kind it would be better to say nothing at all.

Some time ago I was having lunch with a Christian leader who was and still is President of a ministry. We were talking about the past when he reminded me that we had met close to 45 years before and we had had a lengthy conversation about the value of investing our lives in Christian ministries. He thanked me several times during our visit, for being so kind to listen to him and to respond to his needs. Kindness sometimes is just giving some time and listening. 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 and certainly harsh words are 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 I Thessalonians 5:17.

Pray without ceasing.

PRAYER:

Thank You, Lord, for the opportunity you give us to serve You. 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 the world.