Ephesians 4:32 begins with “and be ye kind one to another.” The inspired Paul added to that in I Corinthians 13:4, “Love…is kind.” Paul listed “kindness” as one of the qualities a new Christian is to “put on.”
Glen Campbell had a real catchy song several years ago that suggested, “try a little kindness, then you’ll overlook the blindness, of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets.”
Our world need kindness. Kindness is the product of our love for others. Love and kindness make the world a better place to live. As Christians, we are in the world to change the world by our wholesome influence. We live with kindness radiating from our words and actions. We teach the gospel, which is God’s expression of His loving kindness to mankind.
Hatred walks our streets, is seen in e-mails and other sources of communications, bubbles out in our political arenas, and produces wars. Many follow a god of bitterness and vengeance. The world needs the loving kindness of God to be personified in Christians today.
In our day to do dealings we need kindness. People will do things that will disturb us. We can either jump on them with spurs on or reply with kindness. Which one will have the greater influence for Christ? We are here to win them to Christ, not to condemn them to the devil. Our words and actions must be seasoned with the wisdom of kindness.
Every day in the news we hear of people who are unkind to their follow man. But every day there are those who go out of their way to show love and kindness to someone who is not in a position to help himself. Christians should be the ones who are more prone to be kind; and in my experience, they are!
If your life has not been marked by kindness, try it – you’ll like it!
Joe Dale Wilson
