Be Kind

BE KIND ____________________________

I have a pattern. When crisis comes, whether it be personal or nationwide, I begin mulling things over, measuring my response, weighing my words, contemplating what I may have to add to the noise, the frenzy, the quick responders who sometimes speak and then think.

I’ve often chided myself for not being “quick on my feet” when it comes to arguing or taking a stand.

Yet I know God created me this way for a reason. My words can be like a whip. I have a veritable vocabulary-stocked Arsenal, and without thinking I can cause bomb-like damage when I choose to shoot off those words without wisdom leading the charge. I have hurt plenty who have crossed my path, but the years have been kind and taught me much.

KIND (a four-letter word) One we all should practice more daily. When I don’t have the words I’d like to express at times, I turn to those who do. The following is from @holleygerth in her book #fiercehearted:

“We aren’t called to be NICE. (also a four-letter Word) The word KIND appears more than 250 times in Scripture. NICE comes from fear. KIND comes from LOVE. Jesus was KIND, but He was not NICE.

• Niceness comes from fear.
• Kindness comes from love.
• Niceness says, ‘I want to please you.’
• Kindness says, ‘I want the highest good for BOTH of us.’
• Niceness says,‘I’ll tell you what you want to hear.’
• Kindness says, ‘I will speak the truth with grace.’ 
• Niceness says, ‘It’s okay if you habitually hurt me.’
• Kindness says,’ It’s not okay, because hurting me hurts God, you, and us.’

“So let’s keep helping each other find the courage to be more than simply nice and be truly kind. This is not a choice of wimps; it is the choice of warriors.  Having a soft heart in a hard world is courage, not weakness.”

I urge you, as an image bearer, caught in a world full of other image bearers (whether they recognize it or not) to practice kindness, to leave a trail of beauty, and to seek to be more like Jesus and less like the world each day you still have the breath in your lungs to do so.  

Leaving a trail of beauty ~

Pam