Hello again friends, I hope you got an opportunity to soak in Wednesday’s post about ” Kindness from a Mercy Perspective” because I shared a story which set the foundation for understanding what it means to agree to be kind. Tonight, I want to just build on that by highlighting the freedom you actually have to live powerfully by CHOOSING to be Kind and sticking with the responsibilities that comes with that decision:
In the moment when someone is showing you kindness, it is easy to verbally agree to repay that kindness at a later date. But imagine when later on, the circumstances are perfect for you to evade repayment of kindness; or even worse, like in David’s case, when you are dealing with the relative of the person who did you evil, took advantage of you and so on. It seems tough to still show kindness right? BUT that’s why God has given us the helper– the holy spirit– who teaches us all truth ( John 16:13), gives us the heart of Christ and literally enables us to live powerfully by choosing ( Joshua 24:15) to be kind even when we have all liberty and reason to be unkind. When the circumstances are ideal for you to act otherwise, would you still be able to maintain your promise of kindness? Or would you be able to choose to show kindness? Do we think David was not human and somehow did not feel the sting of helping the son of his “enemy”? I am sure he felt a little sting; perhaps some bad memories were evoked throughout the whole process. And perhaps, some ill “memories” are being evoked as you are trying to be kind in a situation you feel you should be extremely unkind in right now. But remember that you are not entirely your emotions. In fact, you are more than just how you feel. You are what you think, how you respond and the powerful choices you make that allow you to govern the soulish outcries of your flesh. Just as these people we read about in the bible overcame, so shall you. It’s in you.
Let us teach Kindness until it is the normal way of life and until it shatters the bitter rocks of coldness that the world teaches us to hold on to, in an effort to prove our so-called “rights”, power and vengeful rebuttals. The secret to Powerful Living is that man with free-will can exercise his power of choice to live in a fashion that nurtures the fruit of the spirit; even when he wields all power to have chosen otherwise; That’s Powerful living right there! Free of the control of emotions and circumstantial short-lived feelings! I think you can live so powerfully because you have 1. Free- will and 2. Choice at the same time and you can use this liberty as an occasion to live
“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” ( Gal. 5:13)
Lets face it: Sometimes it can be “hard” to live above sickening circumstances right?But David is an example of one who can live powerfully and so are you! David decided that he could treat situations individually with a Christ-like mindset! I have noticed that sometimes if a person has an issue with another person, then the friends of that person he/she has the issue with automatically become enemies too. But this should not be so among believers! Never sum up everyone as one and extrapolate the experience you have with one person to a group. I have heard people ridicule loving and kind people as “weak people”. That is interesting to me because actually, kindness is a trait of the strong-willed and not the weak-willed. “Weak people” cannot show the christ-kind of kindness. Do you know what it takes to love the unlovable and be kind in the most adverse of situations? The answer is John 3:16.
David decided that even in Jonathan’s death, he would still show his house kindness so he blessed Jonathan’s son. He chose his response and the attitude he would rather display towards the entire situation. In fact, David had such kindness (mercy) in his heart that when Saul (his enemy) and Jonathan (his enemy’s son) died, he wept and eulogized them saying “Saul and Jonathan, lovely and pleasant!” (2 Sam 2:23). He called an enemy and his son “lovely” and “pleasant”! This is not about lip-service but radical love, heartfelt words with genuine intentions, substance and meaning which can only come by the precious work of holy spirit in a man’s heart. It is about calling forth the Christ kind of good that can come out of others. Some of us clearly know some friends, family etc are filled with unChrist-like intentions towards us, but can we still pull out and honor the Christ-potential in them,call out the “lovely” and “pleasant” seed in them and cultivate it with affirmation of agape?
To sum, let me say this: In my interactions with people this season, I am reminded that folks are constantly dealing with a battle in one way or the other and perhaps, the most undeserving are actually the very ones who need a little kindness to come through. I know bad attitudes are unpleasant and i know harsh words and feelings can rouse so much pain etc. But even more powerfully, I know i have needed kindness from others in time past and I still do. Perhaps you do too right? Remember, the secret to Powerful Living is you– wielding so much free-will— can exercise your power of choice to live in a fashion that nurtures the fruit of the spirit; even when you simultaneously wield the power to have chosen otherwise; That’s Powerful living right there! And I think you can start living it even now by the help of the Lord. Live in this thy power and might! Amen
Questions, Thoughts, concerns? As always, they are gladly welcome. Send them over via comment section and God-willing next week, I will wrap up with the final ” Kindness from a Gentleness perspective”.
Have a great weekend
Be Kind & please share this post with someone 🙂
R.
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