Kindness

Kindness is a big word but it is something we all have inside of us and are capable of. For me the foundation of kindness borders on treating others as you expect to be treated. We all show Kindness to people we really love and care about, but as a fruit of the Spirit, Christ expects us to go further than the people we love and care for. We are told to love those who hate us

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

If God were to consider our attitudes and behaviours he will not bless us at all with all we have, but he says he shows kindness to the ungrateful and even the wicked. The truth of it is their ultimate reward is in heaven. That’s why it is hard for us to comprehend how some really horrible people get blessed. God is a kind, merciful God and full of love.

If you read the story of Lazarus in the bible. Most people believe that the rich man went to hell because he was rich but really if you look properly into the story, Lazarus was by the gates of this man’s house, the man did not do anything horrible to Lazarus but at the same time he did not show kindness. He had so much that he could have blessed and been kind to the poor man. Sometimes its not about what we do its really about what we do not do, it’s very easy for us to be immune to things going on around us and believe as Christians we are touching our friends and families lives.

Do you know your next door neighbour, do you know people in your children’s school, how many charities in your neighbourhood do you volunteer for or even help. Some of our neighbours are going through challenges in their marriages and with their kids but we tend to just say to our own children, “I don’t want you near their kids” (I have been guilty of it myself), Some of our children’s class mates are struggling with divorcing parents, some have siblings that are disabled or terminally ill. what God requires is for us to reach out in love and kindness to the outside wall, out of the inner circle, show kindness, there are old people in our neighbourhood we can help, it teaches our children the act of love and kindness. There is a neighbour out there that could do with a kind word, some food for their children (Particularly in this economic climate), some need some money to pay bills.

We really should access ourselves as Christians and check what difference our lives are making to the outside world. Let us show kindness to people