Is It Kind?

Dear Friends,

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

Last week we looked at patience. This week we turn our attention to kindness. A timely place to start a discussion of kindness is with the Internet and network news. One can only imagine what Jesus’ apostles would have to say about Twenty-first Century communications.

The Apostle Peter would see obvious problems with social media: “Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander.” 1 Peter 2:1 (NRSV)

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

James wouldn’t pull any punches: “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.” James 3:9

The Apostle John would wonder if there was any place left where one could find the Christian worldview: “Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them.” 1 John 4:5 (NLT)

While the Internet can be an amazing source of information – we couldn’t put these messages together without it – anyone who has spent more than a few minutes on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media can testify kindness is often a missing element.

Many who use the internet as an outlet for their rage would be well advised to heed the words of our friend Charles Prazenica: “Be careful your words are tasteful, you never know when you may need to eat them.”

The vitriol we pick up from the media can spill over into our conversations with family and friends. In our daily conversations we might be well advised to employ the rule: “If you propose to speak, always ask yourself, “is it true, is it necessary, is it kind.” – Buddha

Winning an argument is never worth the cost of losing a friend, however there are times when we have to challenge people. Can confrontation be kind? If you read the stories of Jesus’ interactions with the Pharisees, you will find that Jesus didn’t mince his words. When he confronted wrong-thinking, he spoke the truth in love.

The words purported to have been found on Mother Theresa’s wall can serve as a primer for kindness:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

As we examine our walk with Christ, we can look at the words of Mother Theresa and realize we are sinners, who are a long way from perfection. Guided by God’s word and bolstered by prayer, we strive to become the “kind” of Christian who offers kindness to all we meet.

Verse for the week: James 3:17 “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”

Blessings,
Your friends in Christ