Be kind

Proverbs 11:17 Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.

Ephesians 4:32, NIV: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

There is a recent fad for t-shirts that display: "Be kind"!

I would say: "don't just wear it - share it"!

Kindness is sadly missing from much of our world where survival of the fittest is the motto.

But an act of kindness can melt the heart - it should be the hallmark of believers in Jesus.

How many suicides (which are so prevalent at present during these uncertain times) could have been prevented by a kind and encouraging word, not rushing by a despairing person in our frenzied activity?

Today we are deluged with regulations: things we can and cannot do, harsh penalties for breaking rules, late payment fines. Life can be a veritable minefield waiting to explode in our faces.

What a refuge the Lord is, right in the midst of trouble.

Psalm 63:4 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips shall praise You.

The words of His loving-kindness bring comfort to our soul.

So we, in turn, can bring comfort into people's lives. Pass the kindness on!

In the word of the great chapter on love, Paul writes:

Love is patient and kind

1 Corinthians 13:4

So a good question to ask ourselves this morning is: "How can I reflect the kindness of God today"!

Don't pass up the opportunity for random acts of kindness, because you will be the only voice of Jesus in many people's lives.

Instead of a harsh, defensive riposte, how about a kind, encouraging reply?

Be kind!