Showing Kindness

Chuckle: "What do reindeer have that no other animals on earth have? Baby reindeer."

Good Quote: "Twas a thief who said the last word to Christ: Christ took the kindness and forgave the theft." --Robert Browning

SHOWING KINDNESS

"Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else" (1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV).

I wrote this ten years ago to the day. As you read, please think about the urgent need for kindness toward all those with whom we interact, and compare the level of kindness in people today with the way I described it ten years ago. 

A few days ago, Dotse and I were riding in the car and thinking about the approach of Christmas. I mentioned to her how kind everyone seems to be lately. We discussed it at length and wondered about it. My heart has been warmed in recent days by extraordinary kindness from people around me. I have always heard that Christmas tends to bring out the best in people, but this year something unusual is going on -- at least from my perspective.

I have recently had encounters with servers in restaurants, medical personnel, insurance advisors, financial specialists, and sales personnel, and everyone has been extraordinarily kind, courteous, and helpful. It's as if people have suddenly been inoculated against unkindness. Maybe the kindness serum has been mixed in with the new H1N1 flu vaccine!!. Not likely, you say. I agree. But maybe it's not from a vaccine but something even more powerful and effective.

Could it be that God is getting the attention of people who are becoming fed up with hateful, discourteous, dishonest, and hurtful attitudes that have been prevalent in our society in recent years. Selfishness, greed, and lust have made many of us disgusting people to be around. What's in it for me has replaced concern for the welfare of others. I wonder, also, if the severe economic downturn has prompted people to reexamine their values with the intent to discover the really important things in life -- relationships.

Notice in our passage that we, as believers, are first to be kind to one another. Then we are to show kindness to everyone else as well. "The Lord's servants must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone. They must be able to teach effectively and be patient with difficult people. They should gently teach those who oppose the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape the Devil's trap. . ." (2 Timothy 2:24-26 NLT). If you and I are living under the control of the Holy Spirit who resides in us, we will practice kindness because kindness is a supernatural fruit of the Spirit, along with love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Galatians 5:22).

The unusual kindnesses that have been shown to me in recent days, have made me examine my own heart and prompted me to show more kindness in return. Treating people with kindness is such a simple solution to so many relationship problems. It's amazing that we aren't more faithful in its application. "A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble to himself" (Proverbs 11:17 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse