For those who belong to Christ, we are called to be kind to others. But if we are honest with ourselves, we will confess just how unkind we often are. We long to be treated kindly, yet too often, we try to justify being unkind to others.
The world may be unfair, but what about you? “We may think we are doing the right thing, but the Lord always knows what is in our hearts. Doing what is right and fair pleases the Lord more than an offering” (Proverbs 21:2-3 CEV).
Whether we are unkind to a person directly or we are speaking unkindly about them behind their back, we are operating against the will of God. If we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit, then we will be convicted by Him when we have been unkind to others.
How you treat others will impact how God treats you. “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t snap back at those who say unkind things about you. Instead, pray for God’s help for them, for we are to be kind to others, and God will bless us for it” (1 Peter 3:9 TLB).
When you have fallen short and confessed your failure, let the Lord teach you from there. The first step toward turning to God is to change the direction you are going. Don’t be consumed by your failures, but only learn from them so that you can do better next time.
When you’re honest with your failures, God is faithful to help you. “If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose]” (1 John 1:9 AMP).
Being kind to a person is one of the greatest gifts that you can give them. People will forget about most of whatever you say, but they will always remember how you made them feel. You cannot undo what is done, but you can choose how you will act going forward.
How you make people feel reflects the kind of person you are. “God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So always do these things: Show mercy to others; be kind, humble, gentle, and patient.” (Colossians 3:12 ICB).
Too often, we justify our unkindness towards a soul based on how unkind they have been with us. Or perhaps we see how unkind they are to others and consider our unkindness as a way to defend those we care about. But God has a higher calling for us than that.
People need your compassion more than your criticism. “Be kind…” (Ephesians 4:32 NASB).
When you learn to be kind to the unkind, you will find a greater strength and power in yourself. It will take the Spirit of Christ in you to show the love of Christ through you. All that you have to do is let Him. Let the Lord be the judge and you only be an instrument for good.
Treat people better than they deserve because that is how God treats you. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV).
A kind word is more powerful than a harsh word, just like light has all power over darkness. People can defend themselves against harsh words but usually crumble under the words born out of kindness. Be willing to make the first move in being kind to one another.
How you say it matters just as much as what you say. “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24-25 NLT).
A kind word must be a genuine word; otherwise, it is only empty flattery. Being kind must stand on the foundation of being genuine; otherwise, deception is all you are doing. Better to have one small, genuine, kind word than anything that is born out of darkness.
Beware flattery that tries to lift you higher than you really are. “A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth works ruin” (Proverbs 26:28 NASB).
Before you say a word, be aware of the words you are thinking about saying. If you try to justify what you are saying, then often, you will not be justified in saying them. Take a big bite of that ripened fruit from the Holy Spirit called self-control.
Goodness is a natural outcome of a Spirit-filled life. “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…” (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT).
Be kind to people. Be as kind behind someone’s back as you should be before them. Think of kind things to say before you say anything. Be kind in your thoughts, and kind words are sure to follow. Be kind to others because your heavenly Father is kind to you.
To be kinder in your words, you must first be kinder in your thoughts. Jesus said, “…What you say flows from what is in your heart” (Luke 6:45 NLT).
The closer you are to someone, the kinder you should be. To have a friend, all you must do is be a friend. In the same way, to be treated more kindly, you need to be more kind. Kindness is the evidence of Christ in you and the Holy Spirit guiding you.
Christ through you is the evidence of Christ in you. “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5 NASB).
Blessings to you,
Paul Balius
Paul, beautiful, beloved brother, I honestly do not know of anyone in my decades online who has been as kind in his personal expression toward me as you. Your kindness ministered from the heart of our Abba and His Christ in heaven has been truly extravagant and I altogether and absolutely believe sincere. I very deeply appreciate you, more than words can tell. Thank you for practicing with purity and passion that which you poignantly preach. Burning blessings of Jesus’ beauty in your being and intimate blessings of loving affection from His holy heart as Bridegroom King of heaven.
Oh, my brother, as is true with my daily devotions, it is equally true with my weekly blogs, that they are the Lord’s admonitions against me for the very failures the Lord wants to help me and us all to overcome. I had been incredibly unkind in words I had spoken this last week, that although were in private from the one I was speaking about, yet the Lord took note of every word that was spoken. Sometimes God drags us through the coals to burn away all that does not belong. What joy we can have in His convictions, knowing they are meant to make us better and not like our words about others which are often meant to be hurtful.
Thanks for your willingness to be transparently truthful here, which counts in the eternal economy of our munificently merciful Maker and His ceaselessly compassionate Christ much more than a little or a tittle. I tell our perfect Priest, King Jesus, what He omnisciently knows, that unless He saves me from my selfish self, my lot is that of finally falling in with the infidel and profligate. That Christ is our Kinsman Redeemer, our forever first Love and all magnificent Obsession I trust is true, but what we direly need is much more consistency in conformity to the character of Christ.
This I know for the Bible and personal experience tells me so, childlike faith pleases and positions our person to receive the help, not any spiritual sinew or sophistry we would suppose to be our strength, rather than the Spirit’s. Being still and knowing more intimately, and therefore truthfully and trustfully that He Is God, we will want less what we so willfully want and more that which He wisely, wondrously wants. Clenching our fists and gritting our teeth cannot cut it. Beholding is becoming. Gazing steadfastly on His matchless face we grandly win the paramount race set before us.
2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP
And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
Philippians 1:6 AMPC
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.