We all have our days where being kind feels like a natural instinct. When things are going our way or we simply wake up on the “right” side of the bed, showing kindness to others can feel easy.
But other days, it can feel impossible. When things go wrong or someone frustrates you, it can sometimes feel “justified” to lash out or be rude. Regardless of what we know about God’s character and what He wants from us, Christians can be just as guilty of being mean or disrespectful as any other group of people.
As a child, we’re often told: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” And this becomes the “reason” for why we’re sometimes kind when we don’t necessarily want to be. But here in this scripture, we’re reminded that God is actually filled with kindness, and as followers of Jesus, we can and should choose to be kind because kindness is a characteristic of God.
“The Lord is righteous in everything He does; He is filled with kindness.”
– Psalm 145:17
All throughout the Scriptures, we are instructed to be kind and show kindness. And the ~real~ reason for why we should be kind is not simply so that others will also be kind to us. We are given this instruction to be kind because this is who God is.
Kindness originated with God! It’s who God is—or as the Psalmist puts it: kindness is what God is filled with.
In God, there is no evil, malice, or wrong. In all of His ways, God is righteous, good, and kind. Even when things go wrong or feel like they are falling apart in our lives, God is diligently at work behind-the-scenes striving to bring forth good things in our lives.
This month’s theme and journey through Kindness is not intended to be a “one-off” message, or something that only lasts for 31 days. Rather, as you press into this message you’ll discover that you can choose kindness in every situation because God, Himself, is filled with kindness.
He is the Source of kindness, and it’s His kindness that flows freely to you and through you.
Our prayer for you is that you are moved to act in compassion and kindness—even towards those who don’t deserve it.
Because ultimately, that’s what God has done for each of us. So let’s journey forward together to become a stronger, kinder community that seeks to become more and more like Christ each day!