Be Kind part 2
I can't think of a situation--and I really do put a lot of thought into this stuff... like all day every day--where being kind DOESN'T help. A soft, or kind, word turns away wrath, right? When someone wants to fight but you kill 'em with kindness... it really takes the wind out of their sails. When you turn the other cheek instead of trying an eye for an eye... that's hard to fight against. Because even when you're rip roaring angry, if you find yourself just beating on someone... well... it takes two to tango. So my point is, being kind is really useful. In every situation. Which, ironically, is the definition of kindness in our key verse: "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering" (Colossians 3:12). And I really want to get into the idea of "putting it on" maybe tomorrow. But for today I want to really hammer home how useful it is to be kind. And I want to grab 1 Corinthians 13:4, which says, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up." And the word "kind" is 5541 in Strong's Greek Concordance and it means, "to show oneself useful, that is, act benevolently: - be kind." Pretty much the same think as yesterday. But I do like the idea of "showing oneself." Because if love is something, that means WE are that thing. Because we are Jesus. God in the flesh. Love in a body. God in OUR flesh. Love in OUR body. So kindness is not just something we need... its something we have. Kindness is not just something we do... its something we ARE. Which, using Logan logic, means we ARE useful. When we show ourselves to be who we really are. When what's inside comes out. And what's inside comes out, naturally, when we know and believe that it's in there. And I like the phrasing of, "BE kind." I used Blockbuster's slogan, "Be kind, please rewind" as the start of this Rant series. But it works on a whole different level when we understand who we are and BE who we are. When we stop trying to be someone we're not and just be who we are. When we show ourselves. When we show up. When we show OUT. I've heard that just showing up is half the battle. I've heard that God is more interested in availability than ability. If God says go and you go... He'll get you there. He won't necessarily DRAG you there (although that has been known to happen, now and then) but He can carry you. Especially if you're willing to be useful. Especially if you're inserting love into a situation. Kindness is useful, because love is kind. YOU are useful, because you are kind when you act benevolently. "Benevolent," by the way, according to dictionary.com, is, "1. Characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings. 2. Desiring to help other; charitable." Charity is love in action. Charity is when we desire to help someone... and then we actually help them! Kindness isn't just wishing someone a good day. That's not especially useful. Kindness is HELPING someone have a good day. BE kind. Don't just THINK kind. Show up. Show yourself useful. Give people what you've got. Don't worry about what they're giving you. If they want to fight... again... kill 'em with kindness. Show them a more excellent way. Love the hell out of them. That's what people need. That's what we have. That's who we ARE. So be who you are. Be kind!