By Andrea Merrell
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor,
and evil speaking
be put away from you, with all malice. And be
kind to one another,tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even
as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31-32 NKJV
“How can people be so cruel?”
It’s a question I’ve heard over and over. I’ve
asked it myself.
Why can’t people just be kind?
When I was growing up, I was taught to speak to
strangers. To be polite. It was a world where we didn’t live behind locked
doors and kids were free to play outside unsupervised. We offered a helping
hand to anyone in need. Oh, how things have changed.
As we head into a
new year, I wonder what the future holds. The Bible says that in the last days
things will “wax worse and worse.” It’s a sign of the times. But God doesn’t
want His children to become paranoid or afraid to reach out to others. Instead,
He says we should be kind to one another, tenderhearted.
How do we
accomplish that? By keeping our eyes on the Lord, trusting in Him. By sharing
the love, joy, and peace He has so abundantly blessed us with.
Make it
practical:
- Open the door for someone.
- Allow that car to cut in front of you.
- Listen.
- Don’t interrupt when others are talking.
- Stop complaining.
- Filter your words.
- Don’t get ruffled when the clerk has a bad attitude or gives you the wrong change.
- Offer a smile to someone who seems weary.
- Let someone else go first.
- Give a little extra to your favorite charity.
- Help someone in need.
- Turn your frown into a smile
Colossians
3:12 says to clothe yourself with kindness (NIV). Galatians 5:22 says, Kindness
in action—it’s a fruit of the Spirit (TPT).
Changing our
mindset begins with a choice. And it doesn’t take a lot of effort to just be
kind.
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