Stop being mean, bad-tempered, and angry. Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ. Ephesians 4:31-32
Last night I had a conversation with my daughter and we were talking about how respect, intergrity and kindness have seem to become less and less important in our world. People no longer see these as foundational virtues that make our lives better, but as unnecessary courtesies. We shouldn’t be surprised since Jesus warned us that in the end times, people would be selfish and self-centered. But what we fail to realize that those attitudes not only are impactful on the receiver, but on the giver too.
The word kind, brings pictures of gentleness, understanding, speaking in a calm, quiet voice. And although kindness are all those things, the Greek word here, translates “kind” as; to show oneself useful. In the Hebrew it is the wholeness word Hesed, that means love, mercy, grace, compassion and faithfulness. Which comes from the root word that means to bow one’s head in courtesy. Oh my friends, how far we have walked away from being “kind one to another”.
Oh beloved of God, we need to become more and more like Jesus in the days ahead. How much this world needs kindness to once again be shown and according to today’s verse, only those who belong to Jesus can walk in it because we are a reflection of the heart of God. Today make the decision to act in kindness, not as a behavior, but because you already are kind. Remember, as Jesus is so are you in this world and no one showed more kindness in this world than Jesus. And that’s because it is Who He is and we are to be like Him.
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