How are you? How is your week going? Have you been kind?
For a couple summers in Philly, I served as a teacher at a summer day camp. I remember laughing at a joke, and one of the first graders said that I wasn’t being nice. A little first grader rebuked me for not being nice, and she was right.
What’s humbling is that God doesn’t want us to just be nice. He wants us to be kind.
We looked at this fruit this past Sunday. It is the fifth fruit out of the 9 listed in the book of Galatians, and it’s a very important one, especially as we are focusing on IN-reach this fiscal year and next fiscal year.
Niceness wants to be recognized. Kindness seeks no audience.
Niceness is temporary. Kindness perseveres.
Niceness demands reciprocity. Kindness has no condition.
Niceness is superficial. Kindness is deeply rooted in the heart.
Niceness is just an act. Kindness is an attitude.
Niceness keeps everyone at an arm’s distance. Kindness opens one’s life up to the other.
Niceness is for the praise of self. Kindness means a death to self.
Essentially, we are called to be kind to one another as God in Christ was first kind to us.
He pursued us. He persevered in loving us. There was no condition. He opened His life up to us by dying on the cross for us. This is the ultimate act of kindness.
Jesus is not only an example we are to follow, but He is the power by which we can be kind to others.
May you take some time to meditate on and thank God for His kindness toward us in Christ. And may that kindness overflow through your words, actions, and hearts.
See you all on Sunday for Lord’s Day Worship. Continue to pray for one another!
In Christ,
Pastor Tim
Photo Credit: https://endlesslightandlove.com/2014/10/21/its-time-to-spread-some-kindness-and-help-grow-love-in-our-world/