Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
August 14, 2002 Randall Caselman
The Art of Kindness
What a different world this would be if kindness was the order of the day. Kindness is the Golden Rule in practice on an intimate level. Kindness is defined as usefulness to another, goodness, gentleness in character. Scripture demands kindness of God's children:
Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other as God also forgives you. Put on therefore a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering… Love is kind.
Kindness Is Love Demonstrated.
Kindness never raises its voice. Kindness is sweet, gentle, and courteous. Kindness demonstrates concern. Kindness is sympathetic. Kindness is benevolent. Kindness does the unexpected and the unsolicited. Kindness keeps secrets, protects reputations. Kindness wards off bitterness, harshness and hatred. Kindness never speaks all of its mind. Kindness protects others from embarrassment. Kindness sounds the note of appreciation. Kindness brings out, points out, the best in others. Kindness is always dressed in humility. Kindness acts upon every warm impulse.
Kindness Makes Us More Like God.
Peter declares that the purpose of revealed religion is to bring us to the character of God. God is kind. "Thou art ready to pardon....gracious, merciful, slow to anger, abundant in loving kindness." We see God's kindness in redemption's sweet song, in the cross, and in the joys of heaven. Let us be more like Him.
Kindness Is A Joy Maker.
Happiness is not in our abundance of things. Happiness is a heart condition. There are no happy haters, no happy grouches, no happy skinflints. Selfish folk are not happy. Read the beatitudes of Jesus. These people are happy - genuinely happy - because of their attitudes.
Kindness Is Evangelistic.
Kindness influences others. Why does Jesus continue to influence humanity today? His kindness. The best known stories of Jesus deal in love and compassion. Feeding 5000. The Good Samaritan. Raising Lazarus. His treatment of the adulterous woman. Healing the blind. His forgiving the penitent thief at the cross. We will find that making disciples is much easier among those to whom we have demonstrated our love through kindness.
If kindness is such a virtue, why aren't we more kind?
I am not sure, but I have some modern day suggestions that will help us:
Stop Negative Thoughts. Satan is a master at planting ugly ideas in our hearts about how others might feel about us. We see things that are not really there. Our world preaches, "do it unto them before they do it to you." This kind of thinking stops kindness dead in its tracks. It allows us to make mountains of mole hills. The bullets of imaginary wars always kill expressions of kindness. Assume others think well of us until proven otherwise. This will cultivate acts of kindness.
Take Time For Tenderness. We are so wrapped up in job, hobbies, sports and pursuit of things that we have little time to demonstrate kindness. Kindness takes time. Slow down! We are in the people business. People are time consuming.
Keep Communication Lines Open. No place is this more important than in our homes. It's hard to be kind to those we don't talk to. Don't go to bed on an argument. Settle your differences. This is scripture. "Do not allow the sun to go down while you are angry."
Do The Small Things. Solomon said, "Little foxes spoil the wine." Small gestures of kindness make a difference. Show me a husband who opens doors, helps around the house, buys an occasional gift; or a wife who keeps herself well groomed and is gentle in speech to her husband, and I'll show you kindness. Jesus made the point that,
it is important to be faithful in small things. Kindness is not just giving enough to build an orphans' home...It can be in sending only $10. Genuine kindness is seen in the small things we do.
I have wept in the night
From the shortness of sight
That to the needs of others made me blind,
But I never have yet had cause to regret
For being a little too kind.
RANDALL CASELMAN
