Ah, Kindness

Everyone struggles with something-- 

and most likely we don't know what their struggle is

any more than they know ours.

Be kind.

God calls us to love one another 

and that includes kindness, compassion, and understanding.

Love one another as Jesus loves us.

 

Consider Love

Romans 12: 9-10
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

In this time of topsy-turvy living, we need more love.

Most of us are ready to say goodbye to 2020. The year brought a lot of grief, pain, and suffering. People have turned against each other in disagreement, or just been frustrated with each other. We all have opinions. That's okay until our opinions become more important than people. Consider kindness. Speak with compassion.

God calls us to love, not just those who are easy to love, but all people. I need to pour love over each person as in turn Jesus pours love over me. Instead of anger—love. Instead of hate—love. Instead of frustration—love.

Jesus tells his disciples, in John 13, to “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” He knew when he went to heaven he needed to leave his followers with a direct command. Those words are for me, too. Jesus wants me to love others and show love by listening, offering compassion, meeting needs, and sharing Jesus. Loving people is hard sometimes—I struggle just like everyone else. But God offers a tool box with two important tools, the Bible and prayer. Through his words and the Holy Spirit's guidance, I want to spread more of his love and compassion.

Before you speak or post on social media consider whether there is love in your words.

We are our words.

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

This!

A Rejoicing Heart

1 John 3:20-23
This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 

Sometimes when I try to understand the Bible, I make things too complicated. Several times in the Bible God makes his commands clear. Love him and love people. Believe in Jesus, love one another. But because I over think what I need to do each day I often stumble and fall. In other words, I forget to be kind. I fret instead of rest in his peace. I let negativity in the world steal my joy. I criticize when I should be thankful. You get the picture.

Thank goodness God speaks to me through his word. I love what chapter three of 1 John has to say. When I stumble and fall on my face because I'm not following Jesus' lead, my heart lets me know. Or as my Bible's notes say, my conscience speaks up. I believe this is the Holy Spirit nudging me and telling me to get it together. But when I am on track and following my Jesus with all I have, my heart sings. And that's the best feeling ever. That's when I know I'm being obedient to my creator. I pray before making a decision, I listen to the Spirit's lead, I garner courage to follow my Lord. A clear conscience equals a rejoicing heart. Praise God for Jesus!