Today's Word

What is kindness? How would you define kindness? One of the best examples of kindness is shown in the parable of the Good Samaritan. It is seeing a need in someone and responding in a practical way to that need. It flows not from a sense of responsibility but from a sense of love. Were the roles reversed, what would you want the other person to do

Kindness is an outgoing, positive quality without any negative influences and we look at the life of our Saviour to see kindness demonstrated. And kindness shouldn’t confine itself to acts, it should also be shown in what we say. Just today I was informed about an unkind comment said by someone who should very much know better, being involved in charitable work, to a man who only wanted to spend an hour or so with people who loved and respected him, but whose life conditions put him outside the scope of the charity. That is the very opposite of kindness. So like we find in the book of James, the tongue, which responds to the brain which should be influenced by the heart, is an unruly member.

Jesus had some hard words to say about causing offence, using the example of little children. Our speech should be seasoned with grace not with abuse or veiled or even open criticism and all our acts towards others should have kindness as the main motive and driving force. If Jesus had not been kind to us, we would be on our way to Hell. Let us make sure our lack of kindness does not turn others away from being drawn to Jesus. We should always be looking for every opportunity to display the type of kindness that our Saviour showed.

Article written by Brian Preston, Elder @SFGH Church