Many people often mistake a person’s kindness to be weakness, and in so doing they miss out on what makes life worth living, appreciating the qualities of another without resentment or envy. For when we appreciate the merits of another we Praise God for the Gifts that He has bestowed within the soul who practices kindness.
Kindness is not weakness in that it takes strength, self control and self discipline to practice kindness with regularity but also with sincerity. For in order to practice kindness we must first with God's help overcome our own adversity to such acts of kindness, especially when we are not feeling particularly kindly towards people we have deemed unworthy of it.
To practice kindness also does not warrant us to do great deeds or spend copious amounts of money on presents. A kindly smile to a stranger can and does achieve so much good, in that we all have our crosses to bear and a smile can be the making of a person’s day.
But the best type of kindness is that done anonymously, when one hears that another is suffering financial adversity, a gift of money can be given without the knowledge of who gave it. This may not remove all financial problems for that particular person but the thought that someone cares, will bring great comfort. It is the same when one hears of another’s suffering either physically, or through loss a kindly prayer card or an uplifting inspirational card can do so much good to those who are suffering one affliction or another.
Kindness is Faith in action for as James reminds us, "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
An act of kindness is not only a blessing on those who are the recipients of these good deeds, but also the benefactors of such actions of love are doubly blessed by those they have touched and to God who is pleased when we reach out in love and kindness to each other.
We live in troublesome times, where brutality seems overpowering, where horror stories fill our screens and tragedies of epic proportions seem to become the focus of many. But kindness is the balm that comforts the souls of the afflicted; it is what makes life enjoyable.
It is also kindness that heals the broken hearted and gives people back their dignity in knowing they are loved not for what the can give, but for whom they are.
Once again we read in James, Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called "the friend of God." See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."
The practice of kindness requires a special discipline of mind and heart in that our focus is not on ourselves but is focused on the wellbeing of others. This is not to be misunderstood as a 'neediness' or 'to be liked' for kindness is a spilling out of what we already possess through God's Grace. Kindness in and of itself asks not to be noticed but instead longs to remain hidden so that all glory be given to God, and not to oneself. This leads to self sacrifice in that the soul that wishes to practice kindness does not do so for self promotion but because the soul recognises God loved it first, therefore they long to spread little acts of kindness to those who have need of a kind word or deed.
In the end kindness is a choice it is not a feeling, for kindness springs from a spirit filled with the peace that only Christ gives.
Peace of Christ to ALL
Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.
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