Today is the first day of week 5 (5 push-ups, 5 sit-ups, 5 minute run). The weather was outstanding today. I regret that I didn't find enough time to wash my car. I had a lot of happy birthday wishes yesterday...thanks if I didn't thank you already.
List 5 ways you can be kind to someone in your everyday life (mine are listed below):
1) Hold the door for a stranger or someone you know.
2) Pay for someone's meal in the drive-thru.
3) Pray not only for someone, but with someone.
4) Return a stranger's shopping cart for them.
5) Surprise someone you work with, with coffee or breakfast.
How difficult was it for you to come up with your list? I will be honest, I had to think mine out a little bit. Truth is though, throughout the day, I personally find myself doing things like holding a door for someone or picking up a dropped item on the ground, but when it comes to praying with someone it's a whole different ball game. We are instructed to show kindness within our lives, because God showed His kindness through Christ.
Ephesians 4:6-7
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
We are held to a higher standard than non-believers who are conformed by the world. We have been transformed, in our hearts and minds, to live like Christ. Obviously, sin and temptation hinder this at times in our lives, but we have a greater calling. I know I go back to it a lot, but how awesome is the gift that God has given us? His only Son was sacrificed so we wouldn't have to suffer.
Kindness does not get you into heaven. A lot of people have acquired this mentality, which is scary. Giving donations to charity, holding doors open, and volunteering at a soup kitchen will not gain you salvation. The relationship that you have with Christ will however. We are to be examples to those around us in the love of God. By letting someone have a parking spot in a packed lot may be a "dumb decision", but when you compare that to giving up someone you truly love for the sake of another's life, it's hard to argue to stupidity in it. Really, think about it.
You have a choice in this situation: It is raining outside and a family has locked their keys inside their van and you have a 200 yard walk to get into the mall. Do you:
A) Give them your umbrella and run through the rain and go inside as planned.
B) Keep your umbrella to yourself and act like you don't see them.
Hopefully you would choose "A" in this situation. Most malls have stores that sell umbrellas, so at least when you leave you can have some shelter. The family could be out in the rain for 10 minutes or more, but your kindness could provide them with some dry environment while they wait on a locksmith...oh and by the way, offering your cell phone to them to call someone would be another way to show kindness.
Now, a new situation: A stranger and her baby have depressed a trigger on a land mine in a grocery store (happens everyday, I know). The only way that they can live is for someone to hold that trigger down while they escape. The store is sold out of everything heavy enough to depress the trigger so it has to be a humans weight. Do you:
A) Apologize and walk away and wish them luck
B) Tell the stranger that you will take her spot and follow through with it.
Tough decision huh? Thankfully this isn't a very realistic scenario that we would face in our average trip to the supermarket, but it all makes sense when you look at the big picture. Christ saw the world standing on land mines. Each and everyone of use had depressed our own personal trigger. If we move, we die and we burn in hell. Jesus saw this and took action. He said, I love each and every one of you, even though you aren't consistent in your love for me and some of you even hate me. I will take this land mine for you, and you, and you...
What is the limit on kindness? I think we (and I speak to myself when I say we or you) get too uncomfortable to easily. Ephesians 4:32 states: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.
Christ forgives us over and over again. He died to let us live...and truly live. We have the opportunity to live with him in heaven if we only accept him.
Look for ways to be kind...
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