The Every Day Carry Christian should plan on carrying kindness around with him/her each day. Something we can practice is being kind to others! The following poem captures the idea of being kind – all the time.
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
6,000 Plus Illustrations for Communicating Biblical Truths (Act of Kindness and of Love)
Speaking of being kind, Ephesians 4:32 declares, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted (Compassionate), forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
The adventurous missionary the Apostle Paul is teaching the Christians in the church at Ephesus to be kind to each other! This is applicable to us today as well.
“Kindness” escapes us sometimes in the busyness of life. We want to order the food fast. We want to get through the store quick. We have a meeting we are running late for. We have somewhere to go and something to do. Stop for a moment. Be kind to the person in front of you. Set the phone aside. Give your attention. Listen to what they are saying. Respond to their words. Be nice about it.
“Tenderhearted” is an old compound word that simply means “Compassionate.” It has to do with having “inner feelings” for other people and their circumstances. Showing compassion for someone is to show pity and concern. It is being interested in the problems another person is having. Not to gossip, but to lend a hand, offer encouragement, and give a pat on the back saying “It will be OK.” Compassionate people are often the “feelers” in the group who are more sensitive to the relational and emotional needs of others. This verse says each Christian should practice sharing compassion with others.
“Forgiveness” is the 3rd part of this kindness teaching. Christianity is built on the foundation of forgiveness. God the Father forgives us of our sin – because of Jesus, not because of our good works or deeds. That is the whole point of forgiving other people. They may or may not ask you to forgive them, but you can forgive them anyway. They may or may not acknowledge the wrong or hurt they may have caused, but you can forgive them anyway.
Forgiveness is not the same as forgetting. Forgiveness does not mean that you will put yourself in a place to be hurt again. Forgiveness does not mean you trust someone again – it means you have forgiven them. They do not owe you anything, and you do not expect anything from them. Their “Debt” is paid in full and forgiven – not because of them, but because of Jesus.
Once you choose to forgive, and after looking at others with compassion, it sure is easier to be kind to others! Ask the Lord to help you be kind to each person you encounter this week.
One more story about kindness and how it affects our friendships with others.
‘One way we build friendships is by those deeds that poet William Wordsworth called “Those little nameless unremembered acts of kindness and of love.” One such act was performed for a man in a small village who had suffered the loss of his young son. After the funeral he visited the local undertaker and said, “I’ve come to square my account.”“You don’t owe me a penny. You’ve paid your bill on the nail,” the undertaker replied.“But, I’ve had no bill for the funeral of my son.”The old undertaker answered, “If you had to bear the sorrow, surely I can bear the expense.”’
6,000 Plus Illustrations for Communicating Biblical Truths (Act of Kindness and of Love)
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