Kindness is Impactful

 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:1-3

As women we are often prone to gossip, and most of us are aware that gossip is usually born out of our insecurities. If you have a low view of yourself, and someone else comes around who embodies the qualities you are lacking, it is an easy defense mechanism to turn towards bashing someone in order to feel better about yourself. Even if you aren’t saying it outloud to someone, but thinking it in your head, there is sin in your heart.

What’s worse with our heart problem is that we even do this to our sisters in Christ. The very people we are family with through Jesus, we have issues with. We are supposed to show kindness towards one another, because how we treat each other is setting the example for unbelievers, but instead we are often acting in the same way the world does. How can we possibly work on being kind to unbelievers if we can’t be kind to one another?

Kindness is having tender concern and awareness for others, reflected in a desire to treat others gently, just as the Lord treats us. This kindness is not to be partial in it’s giving, it is to be distributed to all. Yes, even those women who you can’t stand because they are always so put together. So how do we foster this fruit of the spirit when people are sinful and often difficult to be kind to?

In order to show kindness for others, we must work on breaking down our insecurities and grow in our identiy being rooted in Christ. Oftentimes this means being vulnerable. It means sharing with your sisters in Christ that you struggle to love them because they intimidate you, or because you are feeling insecure in your body. We as sisters are to come alongside each other, lift each other up, and be honest with each other about our worries, fears, and sin because that is what the community of believers is here for. We are to expose the fact that we are weak, we are imperfect, we hurt each other, and we are constantly in need of Jesus.

So the next time you are thinking unkind thoughts or are about to say an unkind thing about someone…pause. Instead of letting your emotions rule you, take captive your thoughts and think about how it was God’s kindness that saved you and allowed for you to have a repentant heart. Think about how they are a sister in Christ and instead of focusing on yourself, focus on how you can encourage them. Read the letters of the New Testament where the writers start with encouraging the Saints, not gossiping about them because they understood that we all need more encouragement. We need real encouragement that is focused on the gospel of Jesus, the hope we have in Christ, and the security that is to be found in Christ. We need to be encouraged that people see Christ in us, that we are growing, and that people have grown because of our examples. We need to share these things and set an example to believers and unbelievers that kindness is not just hollow compliments but true, genuine love for one another that only can be found in Christ. Imagine the impact genuine kindness could have not only on our sanctification, but on the salvation of others who see us behaving so differently than the rest of the world.

Questions to Ponder: 

1. Are you quick to compliment someone or quick to judge someone?

2. What insecurities do you currently have that you see being reasons why you may look at certain people in an unkind way?  

3. What people can you be more open to about this? Who do you need to ask for forgiveness from and be honest with them?

Today’s Reading:

Ephesians 4