Kindness and Love Go A Long Way

"A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love."

Saint Basil

As you open your eyes and take a look around the world we live in today, what do you see?  I see a world of hurt, shame, selfishness, hate and hopelessness.  A world of sadness.  People treat you a certain way because they feel they can.  Everybody is in a rush. Nobody takes out the time anymore to look at their surroundings.  Instead, they yell at you, cuss you out, they cut you off, push you aside and use words to tear you down.  It seems like impatience has become the normal in life.  

Everybody has their moments, including followers of Christ.  However, we are called to be patient, to show love and to be kind, even if we are the ones wronged:

22) Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.  23) But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.  The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25) with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26) and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 2: 22-26

I can and will fully admit, I have not bee the best "bond-servant."  One of the hardest lessons I am trying to learn right now is how to just keep my mouth shut and walk away.  I have never been a very patient person.  I am usually the type of person that will speak my mind and even plan on things to say in the next argument.  I am that person that will even yell at you while I am driving.  Admittedly, I can endure a lot, but I become very impatient and angry when someone hurts me or when I feel wronged.

In truth, I haven't been the best example I need to be for my family, friends or even strangers on the street.  There are a lot of excuses I can make for my behavior, like I am to tired or I have too much to do, but am I not in control of myself and my actions? 

If we are going to win souls for Christ, we have to live by example.  All eyes are on us!  We can't just talk the talk, we need to walk it too.  We need to stand out from the crowd in today's society and show love and kindness to everyone, including our enemies.  

God's word says:

30) Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.  31) Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.  32) If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  33) If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  34) If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.  35) But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to the ungrateful and evil men.  36) Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6: 30-36

If someone talks down to you and is rude to you, how do you respond?  If someone cuts you off in a conversation or in traffic, how does that make you feel?  If someone makes you feel alone and unloved, how will you retaliate?  I know more than anyone how it feels when your hurt turns to anger.  The thoughts are not pretty.  The things you plot in your head are even worse.   Pure hate fills your heart and you become someone you're not.  I don't know how you feel about that, but it scares me and I don't like the way it makes me feel.  Two wrongs never make a right and someone at some point will need to take the higher ground, for if neither of you do the cycle will be never-ending. 

I would not be here today if it was not for God's love, mercy and grace.  God is love.  He is the light of this dark world we live in. His grace and mercy is more than sufficient.  Choose today to trust Him enough to follow His lead.  Allow Him to guide your heart and your steps on this journey.

"If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change.  As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world towards him....We need not to wait to see what others do."

Ghandi

When you start to feel angry, walk away.  If you disagree with what someone has said or if you don't like how a person is speaking to you, instead of starting a quarrel, stay quite.  Show patience, love, kindness and mercy to those who have wronged you,  just as your Father in heaven has done for you.  After all, the act of love and kindness has to start somewhere, so let it begin with you.

" Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not

arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not 

provoked, does not take into account a wronged suffered, does not  

rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all 

things, hopes all things, endures all things."

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7