Do you think of yourself as a kind person? How would you describe yourself as a kindhearted soul? Have you seen those signs popping up all over that read 'Be Kind?" Do you know what these signs are trying to tell people? For me "Be Kind" is because God loves us so much He was kind to us first. And now we have the chance to be kind, but gentleness isn't always easy for some (like myself), but when we witness acts or behavior from another person which does something other than harsh words and anger-filled responses...it can really change how things go down in our lives too; this opens up all sorts of possibilities as far as relationships between individuals goes. When we are kind, GOD smiles. Why? Because kindness is His likeness.
Full show notes at hopesharbor.net
Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions
Episode #34
Title: Kindness – the likeness of GOD
Date: December 27, 2021
Contact: info@hopesharbor.net
Key verse(s): Galatians 5:22– ‘The fruit of the Spirit is …kindness, or in the KJV it reads gentleness. It means moral excellence and also usefulness, being employed. That’s interesting. I take it to mean we employ kindness as a way of living. What do you think?
Luke 10:33– “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.”
Intro: Have you seen those signs popping up lately “Be Kind”? Why is that? Have you ever seen someone you expected to react with anger instead respond kindly, calmly? It’s very odd to witness.
I say odd because the way I’m wired if it calls for hard words and actions then that’s how I roll. Hmmm… but now I want to know more about kindness.
Devotion focus: Kindness is love in action – it speaks louder than what we say.
When I was a child and was told “I love you,” I normally didn’t believe it. What leads a child to feel that way? It took until I was an adult and attended counseling, having to read all sorts of books on family relationships and dysfunction before I figured it out.
My disbelief at being told I was loved wasn’t action on my part but rather a reaction. I was conditioned to this because of the lack of meaningful kindness from the adults in my life. Well, except my grandmother on my mother’s side.
Looking back I think of it like the religious leaders in Jesus’s parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37. Adults who ‘go to the other side of the road’ to avoid being kind.
For words of love to have an impact they must come from acts of meaningful kindness, actual gentleness. When violence is the rule words hold little real meaning other than to instill fear and dread.
This devotion is primarily for anyone who didn’t have meaningful acts of kindness and gentleness in childhood, or even since then. If you feel unloved it’s understandable. But even then there’s no reason to remain stuck in that lie.
Because, listen to me, you are loved. Did that evoke anything within you?
You can experience feelings of love if you will make an effort to displace the thoughts of worthlessness you may carry.
What does this have to do with kindness? Because it is easy to become trapped in a mindset of anger and hatred that will limit your ability to be kind to others.
Let me ask you this: is there anyone in your life you want to be kind to… that you could be kind to? How about a child? Would you believe you could very well be the only source of kindness a child experiences at this time?
Listen to how Jesus reacted to children being rebuked in Mar 10:13-16:
Mar 10:13 - ‘Then they brought little children to Him (probably the parents), that He might bless them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
Show notes at HopesHarbor.net
