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Mother's Day, May 13, 2007
"Try A Little Kindness"
It's All About Relationships—Part 5
Colossians 3:12
God loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with ...kindness..
—Colossians 3:12 (GNT)
...show mercy and kindness to one another.
—Zechariah 7:9 (NLT)
How to show kindness to others:
1. Be Sensitive
Does your life in Christ give you strength? Does his love comfort you? Do we share together in the spirit? Do you have mercy and kindness ? If so, make me very happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and having one mind and purpose. When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves. Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.
—Philippians 2:1-4 (NCV)
2. Be Supportive
"Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit."
—Proverbs 15:4 (GN)
3. Be Sympathetic
"When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow."
—Romans 12:15 (NLT)
Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down.
—Romans 12:15 (MSG)
4. Be Steadfast (in Spiritual Perserverance)
My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart, for they will give you a long and satisfying life. Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will gain a good reputation.
—Proverbs 3:1-6 (NCV)
Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, their wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich generosity.
—2 Corinthians 8:2
5. Be Spontaneous
"As we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers."
—Galatians 6:10
Lifework
Treating people with kindness keeps our hearts, attitudes and relationships running in the right direction. If we're not careful, we can easily fall prey to selfishness and indifference in our dealings with people. Planning to be kind gets us out of the "what will they do for me" world and gets our hearts in tune with "what can I do for them." Intentional acts of kindness train our hearts to be loving and helpful in our relationships. And, most importantly, kindness will make you a lot like Jesus, who was kind to you all the way to His death!
When you're kind to others, you help yourself...
—Proverbs 11:17 (MSG)
Who needs my kindness this week?