Tag: Kindness

Devotionals

Kind Words

Loring Schultz

“Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up… A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!” Proverbs 12:25, 15:23niv

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Christians could speak the kindest words above everyone else, but we often fall well short of it. I’m sure we all know of people who have given Christianity a bad name, perhaps even the person in the mirror. Yes, we all fall short. We encounter people every day who need a kind spoken word to them. If we are living by the fruit of the Spirit, which includes kindness, we will never miss an opportunity to be kind.

By truly walking in the Spirit (Gal.5:22-23), Christians are always ready and prepared to share kind words. Those individuals who approach our space with anxiety, depression, fright, family circumstances, job related issues, or just having a bad day are not in front of us by accident. It is a divinely appointed time to speak kind words.

Our demeanor, if we are properly walking by the Spirit, will portray a calming reassurance that our words are sincere. The Holy Spirit will teach us and guide us along to find the right words to say. These opportunities will open trust to share the gospel with those who do not know the Lord Jesus as their savior. For our Christian brothers and sisters, this is part of being in the family of God to encourage one another with kind words, and what a privilege it is.

There is also great joy in sharing a kind word with one who needs it, especially when the time is right, and it is needed the most. May we be careful not to fall short in the opportunities set before us to share kind words. The time is always right.

Devotionals

My good deed for the day

Loring Schultz

“The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.” Proverbs 15:8 NIV

            One of the many traits of humans made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27) is the sense of kindness. On our own with are sinful nature we would never show kindness to anyone except ourselves. We all have been born with a sin nature, but our first parents, Adam and Eve, were created perfect in the image of God. The fall of Adam and Eve created a sin nature in all humanity going forward, but the characteristics of being made in the image of God; love, righteous anger, a sense of right and wrong, and emotions including kindness are still part of our DNA of God’s image.

            The ability to show kindness is solely God given. Scouting programs inspire young children to serve others doing good deeds in their community and helping those in need. The Boy Scouts slogan is, ‘Do a Good Turn Daily.’ But even the image of God as the source and the example of kindness administrated by the scouts, our sin nature gives us the ability to do a good deed with the wrong motives. How many times have you heard or said it yourself, ‘I’ve done my good deed for the day.’ This attitude equates doing a good deed as a service to God pleasing Him. In other words, ‘I’m good for the day.’ But God wants much more from us than that.

            One of the many proverbs of Solomon addresses, in direct terms, is the attitude of trying to please God by doing a good deed. “The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.” (15:8) The Lord God sees our heart and knowns our attitude in the good deed we are doing. The deed itself may be good, but trying to score points with God is not what pleases Him. God is pleased as we engage with Him in prayer. He desires a growing relationship with the ones who were made in His image to do good deeds. Make your first good deed for the day be talking with God and he will give you more good deeds than you can handle, and God will be pleased, and many people will be blessed.