Kindness

[cmc]

Upwords:Week of October 23

Your Kindness Quotient
by Max Lucado

How kind are you? What is your kindness quotient? When was the last time you did something kind for someone in your family--e.g., got a blanket, cleaned off the table, prepared the coffee--without being asked?

Think about your school or workplace. Which person is the most overlooked or avoided? A shy student? A grumpy employee? Maybe he doesn't speak the language. Maybe she doesn't fit in. Are you kind to this person?

Kind hearts are quietly kind. They let the car cut into traffic and the young mom with three kids move up in the checkout line. They pick up the neighbor's trash can that rolled into the street. And they are especially kind at church. They understand that perhaps the neediest person they'll meet all week is the one standing in the foyer or sitting on the row behind them in worship. Paul writes: "When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers" (Gal. 6:10).

And, here is a challenge--what about your enemies? With the boss who fired you or the wife who left you. Suppose you surprised them with kindness? Not easy? No, it's not. But mercy is the deepest gesture of kindness. Paul equates the two. "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (Eph. 4:32 NKJV). Jesus said:

Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you.... If you love only the people who love you, what praise should you get? ... [L]ove your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without hoping to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God, because he is kind even to people who are ungrateful and full of sin. Show mercy, just as your Father shows mercy. (Luke 6:27-28, 32, 35-36)

Kindness at home. Kindness in public. Kindness at church and kindness with your enemies. Pretty well covers the gamut, don't you think? Almost. Someone else needs your kindness. Who could that be? You.

Since he is so kind to us, can't we be a little kinder to ourselves? Oh, but you don't know me, Max. You don't know my faults and my thoughts. You don't know the gripes I grumble and the complaints I mumble. No, I don't, but he does. He knows everything about you, yet he doesn't hold back his kindness toward you. Has he, knowing all your secrets, retracted one promise or reclaimed one gift?

No, he is kind to you. Why don't you be kind to yourself? He forgives your faults. Why don't you do the same? He thinks tomorrow is worth living. Why don't you agree? He believes in you enough to call you his ambassador, his follower, even his child. Why not take his cue and believe in yourself?

Be kind to yourself. God thinks you're worth his kindness. And he's a good judge of character.



From A Love Worth Giving
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2002) Max Lucado

[cmc]

Kindness at home. Kindness in public. Kindness at church and kindness with your enemies. Pretty well covers the gamut, don't you think? Almost. Someone else needs your kindness. Who could that be? You.

I love people and it brings me great joy to be kind to others; but like the Max shared....the key is not always in the being kind but in who I choose to be show kindness. It would be easy to just skim over this part with the assumption that I already know it...or that it's such a simple thing.

I'm fairly sure that most times when I think I know something well....I need to get back to basics and look within. I'm encouraged to be more mindful of my attitude and ways I can choose to be more kind to me.

The catch for me is to stay aware of the fact that "it" (insert whatever attitude applies) begins with me. If I lack kindness toward myself I will have no capability to truly be kind to others....for those who I find it most difficult to show kindness....a kindness that comes from my heart. I know that I can't give away something I don't have.

This is an especially good reading for me today because I've been very busy lately and have been a bit hard on myself for not accomplishing some things I intended to have done by now.

I've acted kindly to myself in many ways, yet still have tons of room for improvement in that area. I've recently taken much needed time off from some of my work, spent extra time with family and also took a fun & relaxing trip out of town.

After reading this devotional, I'm seeing that I can still improve in how I view myself; and that instead of being overly critical of myself I can choose a kinder, gentler way.

[rayofsunshine]

Thank you CMC. I needed this today.

[LuvinMe]

Amen..