By Chris WittsMonday 7 Oct 2024Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
Transcript:
In a world that’s felt upside down for quite a while, it’s become easy to get grumpy and less patient with others. Feelings of bitterness and unforgiveness have marked people’s behaviours, and when we read the news, we shake our heads wondering. There’s just too much in the way of bad news. It’s quite depressing. Where has the spirit of kindness gone? Does anybody display kindness anymore?
I remember people have been kind to me over the years. It costs so little to give and yet means so much. Not a lot of words are needed. It can be a text message or a phone call, and we sometimes forget the power in words. Words have got that potential to destroy someone’s reputation. But a kind word makes all the difference. It was the poet Robbie Burns, who said, the heart that is generous and kind most resembles God. Kindness and compassion go hand in hand, and we are called to be aware of others around us.
The heart that is generous and kind most resembles God
Think of all the good we can do if we simply imagine, how can I add value to someone else’s life? Today, it’s all about relationships, and our relationship with God is the most important one in life. Sometimes kindness requires us to put aside our pride and humble ourselves. Other times it’s all about time or energy. But kindness is always worth the cost.
The Bible prompts us many times to treat others with kindness and love throughout our lives. Unfortunately, not everyone will treat us with the kindness and consideration that we would hope for. In fact, dealing with difficult people is a part of life. Even though we can’t control how they act or treat us, we do get to choose how we treat them. As Christians, we should not strive to treat evil with evil or insult with insult. Our actions toward other people should overflow with love and forgiveness. Why? Because God loves and has forgiven us.
If we follow the Lord Jesus, we want to be like Him. In our manner of speaking, God’s love in our heart can replace the anger that we might feel. Do you know what Luke said about Jesus in his gospel? He said the people were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. That’s Luke 4:22. The people of Jesus’ days were used to the authority’s style and the hardness – the Pharisees in their legal teaching, no gracious words from them, only judgement, condemnation.
Jesus, He spoke lovingly with grace and humility, never tearing people down in hatred. He was forceful, truthful and loving. Do we speak with humility and courtesy? Being kind doesn’t just come naturally. That’s why we’re in this mess today. A lot of times, you and I, we don’t want to be kind. That’s why we need a solution that starts with God’s undeserved kindness for us in Jesus and then continues in his changing our hearts to want to be more like Him because we can’t do it on our own.
I love what Mother Teresa wrote one day, she said, “We will never know all the good a smile can do. We speak about our God, who is good, merciful and compassionate. Are we a living token of that reality? Those who suffer can they perceive in us, she said, that goodness, forgiveness and that living understanding. May no one ever come to you without going away, better and happier.” This is Mother Teresa.
Everyone should see kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile. Sometimes we may think or feel that some spiritual matters are beyond us, or we just don’t get it. We look at someone we respect like Mother Teresa, and we might think I could never reach her level of kind.
But the beauty of kindness is that it takes no formal education or specific training or expensive preparation. It simply requires being kind. And kindness often leads to more kindness. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience and kindness. God has told us what is good and what does the Lord require of us, but to do justice and to love kindness, to walk humbly with our God. That’s what the Bible says. So let’s try and develop a spirit of kindness each day and show that attitude towards everyone, and people will know, they’ll pick it up. They’ll know whether we care for them or not.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, you have been so kind to me. Help me to act in kindness to others. Give me your eyes to see and may my sight become whole in the name of Jesus. Amen.