A LITTLE KINDNESS PERHAPS?

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Usually following my talk and prayer at FREEDOM several folks come up for personal prayer, just to talk or seek a little quick counsel.

Last night was no different.

But I did meet someone new. She wasn’t necessarily new to FREEDOM but was new to coming up afterwards. Now before I go further, I should let you know that last night’s talk was about GODLY sponsorship; how to be “good and GODLY” friend. Our primary passage was:

Proverbs 27:17

17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

Maybe over the next couple of weeks I will further unpack some of the thoughts of the talk for the DISPATCH, but today I wanted to share this little conversation.

This FREEDOMER was thankful that I shared the importance of “being kind” to each other.

That point was made during the talk; that part of being a good and GODLY friend was to be a nurturer, an encourager; to seek to see the good in one another and offer words of affirmation rather than condemnation. That point struck a chord with her.

As we chatted, she began to share how discouraged she sometimes felt after attending her traditional meetings. She was frustrated because she felt that too often the conversations and the group discussions would start fine enough but would eventually degrade into catty verbal volleys. She talked of how disappointed she often felt after leaving a meeting where instead of folks lifting one another up, they used the time to tear one another down.

But she is sadly right; and it is not just limited to the “rooms”of AA or NA. Truth is folks just aren’t very kind to one another.

Scan the NEWS FEED on FACEBOOK or watch scathing “back and forth’s”on TWITTER and you will see what I mean. The cut down and put downs are celebrated. Bullying is on the front page. Social media has given us a safe place to expel our venom with little to no remorse.

Society sadly is trading kindness for criticism and love for lambasting.

Yet the BIBLE tells us as CHRISTIANS we are to be quite different. Romans 12 even says we are not to “fit in” with culture rather rise above it. We can do this by just showing love and kindness.

I mean Jesus couldn’t have made this more clear or succinct. We are to LOVE others and not tear them down.

Mark 12:31

You must love others…

That is reason enough don’t you think?

As this FREEDOMER and I wrapped up our chat and said goodbye, I thanked her for the encouragement! I was grateful that she walked out of the meeting last night hopeful and encouraged rather than disappointed and upset.

But I share this conversation in order to inspire all of us today to “being kind”; to loving. Our world celebrates the salty and cynical; let’s fight back with some genuine sweetness and sincerity. Instead of the callous comeback let's exude a little kindness and patience. There is never a bad time for a kind word or deed.

I closed my little talk last night with a challenge! It stemmed from this verse.

1 Peter 4:8
…love steadily and unselfishly, because love makes up for many faults.

I want to challenge those of you reading this today as well!

I believe if we will try and do exactly what that verse says to do; love each other consistently and kindly I believe we will begin to see past one another’s faults, appreciate the good in those around us and begin to put a dent in this defeating and deprecating culture that surrounds us. And it can start with something as simple as a kind word.

Proverbs 16:24

Kind words are like honey—enjoyable and healthful.

So are you up to the challenge; ready to try a little kindness and love today?

I sure hope so…so does JESUS.

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney