Kindness Matters
Kindness Matters
Ephesians 4:32 Show Christ’s love to others so they can pass it on
“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
Ephesians 4:32 NASB1995
Kindness is next in the procession of the Seven Capital Virtues, the virtue that is the opposite of the sin of envy. While envy desires what someone else has, kindness is good and considerate to others, showing more concern for the well-being of another than in what material possessions they have.
The Latin word for kindness — humanitas — is the root of the word “humanitarian”, defined as “having concern for or helping to improve the welfare and happiness of people”.
There is an appalling lack of kindness these days. In the news this week, we heard about the loss of five people in the Titan submersible. These people were all adventurers, most with substantial finances, and lost their lives in a tragic way as they were attempting to visit the wreck of the Titanic. Snark and cynicism — fueled by envy — has been filling the Internet for days.
On the left side of the political spectrum, we hear envious comments like “those billionaires deserve to die - they’re all horrible”, while those on the right think that “they wasted their money and could have spent it another way”. Very few people are expressing the kind response — “it’s sad that these people died while doing something they loved, and I feel sorry for their families, friends, and co-workers.”
Today’s verse is from Paul in his letter to the people of the church in Ephesus, and perfectly describes the way we should behave to other people and why we should follow the call to be kind. Be kind to one another — you don’t know another person’s innermost feelings and what they may be going through. Be tender-hearted — give other people the benefit of the doubt. Forgive others even when they “trespass against us” in the words of the Lord’s Prayer. And remember, God in Christ has forgiven YOU.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father in Heaven, our world is in need of healing from its tendency to be judgmental, filled with sin and hatred, and overflowing with jealousy and anger. Help me to bring more kindness to this world; I cannot heal the world by myself, but know that Your power can magnify my efforts when combined with the work of others. Teach me to listen with empathy to those around me, and assist me in showing compassion for the less fortunate. Use me to help improve the circumstances of those who are in need so that they may experience Your divine love at work. I pray this in Jesus’ name, AMEN.