Characteristics of Love #2 – Kindness

“Love is kind.. . .”      I Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)

There seems to be just a basic lack of common courtesy in the world today. Human nature is selfish and self- seeking. To overcome the natural “bent” toward evil, you must exercise acts of kindness.

Colossians 3:12 exhorts you to “put on” kindness. It is an act of your own will, not an emotion expressed instinctively. People who are kind make a conscious, disciplined effort to be so. Kindness is in turn received as an act of love. Your act of kindness is an act of love.

II Peter 1:7 instructs you to add kindness to your godliness so that your Christian life is fruitful in a real, practical way. Some people can talk religiously about love, but their conduct does not match up. You have heard the saying, “I can’t hear you because your actions are speaking too loudly!” Nobody likes a hypocrite. Try hard to “PRACTICE” what you “PREACH”!

Even when you are mistreated, practice kindness in return. God is more interested in your “reactions” (under pressure) than He is in your “actions” (when everything is going your way). God says, “Blessed (happy) are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you FALSELY, for my sake.” (Matthew 5:11) (Emphasis supplied) Go ahead now… “put [it] on”. . . godly love is kind!

PRAY:
“Gracious heavenly Father, You have shown merciful kindness toward me even when I turned away from You. Help me to respond in kindness to all those around me.”