Encouragement
Some of the rudest and most difficult people one could ever come in contact with in our lifetime are not in the streets, bars, clubs, or the world but are in our Churches. In the one place where love and kindness should emerge is the place where we encounter the worst treatment. From the pulpit, the choir, the deacon boards, and auxiliaries we encounter the worst treatment imaginable.
It seems that we are treated the worst by people in the church who claims to confess Christ, than from the people in the world who reject Christ. It takes time for people to come to the understanding that they can affect other people's feelings by being kind or unkind.
Being kind means responding to the needs of others. The characteristic of a true Christian is that the love of Christ lives in the heart of the believer. This is what sets them apart from the world. Loving one another includes being willing to respectfully confront one another when necessary, to work to find solutions to disagreements, and to forgive those who hurt you. That means giving up your desire to be angry and to get back at the offender.
The secret lies in abiding in Christ and Christ abiding in us. This is not an option. This is a command. That is how we need to look at it. It is a serious command to protect you, to protect the rest of the body of Christ, and, in a purely biblical sense, to protect the Holy Spirit from grief. I want you to notice how God wants us to forgive others. As a believer in Christ, our Heavenly Father is saying to us, be nice to one another. Imagine what our communities and our world would be like, if each of us offered just one kind word to one another or act of kindness in deed. Think of the ripple effect that can be created when we show forth this sort of kindness to one another. Being kind means responding to the needs of others in word and deed.
There has been so much dialogue about the lack of kindness, impatience in today's world, road rage, or just complete rudeness. We shouldn't be surprised. Look around in your communities or workplace and you're likely to find many people who feel severely pressured: People who are juggling work, family, struggling with economic limitations, or just day to day pressures.
One of the most important things we can do is to embrace our new identity and see ourselves through Jesus' eyes. Relationships flourish on kindness.
God was kind and tenderhearted toward you, forgiving you even when you didn't deserve it. If you base your attitude toward people on what they deserve, you've missed the point. Don't yell at people, slander them, or get angry at them even if they deserve it. Those who exemplify God's character are loving, kind, tender, and forgiving. That's the kind of attitude God expects from those who are new creations in Christ. The call of Jesus to humanity is for us to be kind to one another and let this be our new lifestyle. We are made kind by being kind. To make one good action succeed another is the perfection of God’s goodness through us.
In Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you."If we as Christians never lied but always spoke the truth; never became angry in a sinful way but always acted in love; never stole but always shared; never spoke in a coarse manner but always spoke edifying words; never were bitter, wrathful, resentful, violent, or slanderous but were always characterized by kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness; don't you think the world would be a better place for all.
Ask yourself this important question, who am I in Christ? Do I speak the truth? Do you have control over your anger so that it operates only in righteousness? Do you share your resources with others? Do you speak graciously? Are you kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving? If you are a new man or woman in Christ, you life will exemplify this type of living.
©By: Dr. Christopher D. Handy
http://www.revchristopherhandy.com
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