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A Devotional For Men - Be Kind
See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
1 Thessalonians 5:15 "I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again," goes the old saying from William Penn. Kindness is not an inconvenience to be avoided but a characteristic to be embraced. Sometimes it is as simple as a pleasant smile, a warm handshake, sending a thank you note, assisting a neighbor with household project, or being with a friend in distress. Someone once said, "The greatest thing a man can do for his heavenly Father is to be kind to his other children." Kindness originates from the heart of God. God is kind because he cannot be otherwise. It is essential to his nature. And, likewise, that kindness becomes a part of our new nature, which comes to us through the Holy Spirit. Kindness becomes a part of our conduct because our character is rooted in God. The poet Robert Burns said that the kind heart most resembles God. Kindness provides for the other people's needs. Kindness is more than a pat on the back while saying, "Have a nice day." Kindness gets involved. It gets its hands dirty. It's visible and active. It moves beyond the spiritual and the emotional to the physical and practical. Kindness's theme song says, "Find the need and fill it. Find the hurt and heal it." The watchword of today's society is "Don't get involved." But at the heart of a kind person is involvement. They see the needs and seek to fill them. They are willing to risk in order to help others out. They know they can't do everything, but they can do something. After answering the lawyer's question with the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus instructed him to go and do likewise, and he instructs us to do the same. Let's move from pious platitudes to practical involvement. Let's not just stand for what is right; let's do what is right. Let's not just carry a placard to city hall; let's carry a casserole next door. Let's not make our religious activities a substitute for Christian kindness. |
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