Kindness Matters
Paul gets right to the point. I'll use his own words and get right to the point as well.
If we listened to just the first verse, I wonder how much social media would just simply disappear tomorrow?
Paul has a put-off and put-on spiritual formation mindset. Good formation happens when we put off what is bad and put on what is good. It is not an either-or approach. Put to death the sinful nature AND nurture your spiritual life.
Kindness means you actively practice kindness, while at the same time resisting and saying no to any speech or behavior that is NOT KIND.
Being KIND is part of the ONE ANOTHER spirituality of the Christian life. Kindness is mutual. It is reciprocal. It is relational. It is an interaction. We do unto others what we would like done to ourselves. We are kind and we want others to be kind to us. In a world where kindness is often in short supply, it is time for followers of Jesus to be different.
Because we are made in the image of God, and because we are being renewed and transformed into the image of God (it was damaged because of sin), when we discover what God is like, then we imitate or model or pattern our way of life accordingly.
GOD IS KIND TO US. That is the message of Titus 3:3-5:
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32
If we listened to just the first verse, I wonder how much social media would just simply disappear tomorrow?
Paul has a put-off and put-on spiritual formation mindset. Good formation happens when we put off what is bad and put on what is good. It is not an either-or approach. Put to death the sinful nature AND nurture your spiritual life.
Kindness means you actively practice kindness, while at the same time resisting and saying no to any speech or behavior that is NOT KIND.
Being KIND is part of the ONE ANOTHER spirituality of the Christian life. Kindness is mutual. It is reciprocal. It is relational. It is an interaction. We do unto others what we would like done to ourselves. We are kind and we want others to be kind to us. In a world where kindness is often in short supply, it is time for followers of Jesus to be different.
Because we are made in the image of God, and because we are being renewed and transformed into the image of God (it was damaged because of sin), when we discover what God is like, then we imitate or model or pattern our way of life accordingly.
GOD IS KIND TO US. That is the message of Titus 3:3-5:
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
The Quotes
Here are a few quotes on kindness. I really like the one by Rabbi Heschel and the one by atheistic philosopher, Aldous Huxley. When a quote speaks to you, ask yourself why it is speaking to you.
"Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end." Scott Adams
"Kindness is love in action." Henry Drummond
"A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees." Amelia Earhart
"A part of kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve." Joseph Joubert
"When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people." Abraham Joshua Heschel
"I would like to have engraved inside every wedding band, 'Be kind to one another.' This is the Golden Rule of marriage, and the secret of making love last through the years." Randolph Ray
"Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end." Scott Adams
"Kindness is love in action." Henry Drummond
"A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees." Amelia Earhart
"A part of kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve." Joseph Joubert
"When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people." Abraham Joshua Heschel
"I would like to have engraved inside every wedding band, 'Be kind to one another.' This is the Golden Rule of marriage, and the secret of making love last through the years." Randolph Ray
"It is a little embarrassing that,
after forty-five years of research and study,
the best advice I can give to people
is to be a little kinder to each other."
Aldous Huxley
after forty-five years of research and study,
the best advice I can give to people
is to be a little kinder to each other."
Aldous Huxley
Isn't Huxley's conclusion awesome? After a lifetime of being a philosopher, devoted to helping people live well, his best advice is KINDNESS.
It's not new advice, just needed advice. JESUS makes it possible for you to be KIND, even if others are unkind to you.
That's it for today.
A simple encouragement to be KIND.
In fact, why don't you make the rest of the week a week to be as KIND to as many people as you can? Be creative in your KINDNESS.
Pastor Brian Rice
It's not new advice, just needed advice. JESUS makes it possible for you to be KIND, even if others are unkind to you.
That's it for today.
A simple encouragement to be KIND.
In fact, why don't you make the rest of the week a week to be as KIND to as many people as you can? Be creative in your KINDNESS.
Pastor Brian Rice