"Be Kind."
My world at home is filled with the noise of four children and a husband that works from home, too. Noise, I am used to. So much so that I've gotten pretty good at tuning it out to focus on whatever task is at hand.
But a whisper... A whisper catches my attention.
My mouth snapped shut, swallowing my words hard. (They did not go down without a fight, but they went down.) Swimming up from memory came the fruit of His Spirit,
KINDNESS
PATIENCE
JOY
LOVE
I did a quick spiritual health check-up and realized it's an attribute that has been missing in me of late.
Kindness doesn't ramshod over others to express itself. Like patience and gentleness, it's one of the quiet graces, the kind not celebrated too often in the world we are sojourning through. And yet, it is a huge part of who God is.
What does kindness look like?
Today, for me, kindness meant holding back words that were better left unsaid. I'm hoping that as I lean in to hear that whisper again this week, I can be teachable. Learning from the God of kindness, what it means to be kind.
"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us..." Titus 3:4
I'd love to hear what some of you have learned from God about kindness. Perhaps we can learn together.
"Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving..." I find it difficult to want to be kind to another who has perhaps hurt me deliberately! However, I am reminded that such gives God greater glory than being kind to another just because they are kind to me.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I just want to ignore such a person but that in a sense is such a wasted opportunity! I have to push past my 'feelings' often with a certain person who comes to mind.
So true Wendy. It gives him greater glory and I think pleasure in us as his children when it's extra hard to do the "God thing" instead of the flesh thing. He loves us so.
DeleteKindness is often quiet and unnoticed. It is often more of what we didn't do/say than what we did do/say. It is usually means not doing what is best/easiest for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post!
Thanks for commenting. I second your thoughts on kindness often going unnoticed. I think that's one of the reasons it so goes against our flesh that wants acknowledgement often times, even for the things we are doing "for Him alone". Just like integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching, kindness is doing the nice thing when no one may ever know (but God).
DeleteYes, kindness and quietness often goes unnoticed. My prayer today has been asking God to help me to be kind and not caustic. It isn't that I have been acting like that, it is just that should the opportunity arise to respond without love, it is easier than we think to sound caustic. Maybe that is putting it a bit rough, but then, isn't my heart desperately wicked, and I am so blinded to myself. I need God each moment.
ReplyDeleteThat is an *excellent* way to show kindness!
ReplyDelete