Galatians
5:22-23 teaches us about the fruit of the Spirit. One of the fruits is
kindness…”but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Last year our church began a partnership with a mentoring ministry—Kids
Hope USA (http://www.kidshopeusa.org/).
It is an exciting program and has caused Wednesdays to be a favorite day for me
each week. Now, on Wednesdays I have the privilege of mentoring a 1st
grade student at Shadycrest Elementary School and we are having a great time of
learning and growing together. Each trip I see a sign outside a teacher’s door
that says, “I’m a teacher, what is your
superpower!”
I
love it…but it provoked me to thinking about the literal supernatural powers
that Christ gives us through the empowering work of HIS SPIRIT in us. It’s the
“Grace Fruit” we have been talking about in our current sermon series at Shadycrest. Have you ever thought about the fact that you have
been given SUPERPOWERS! Praise the LORD; yes you have!
Can you think of someone right
now who has been mean to you? They have mistreated you in the past? Your
easiest response is to have nothing to do with them; however, I suggest that
you do something kind for them,
especially if this person is in your family or is someone you see often. The
purpose of kindness is not to make them burn with shame, but to bless them. If
you do, God will reward your kindness. It is hard to do, and you may have to
pray hard and long before being truly ready to do it…but do it anyway!
Booker T. Washington, the first
President of Tuskegee Institute faced a great deal of hatred and abuse as he worked
to educate African-Americans during the time of Jim Crow laws in the south.
Through it all, he demonstrated the kindness of Christ to his enemies. He once
wrote: “I will not allow any man to make me lower myself by hating him. The
only way I can destroy my enemy is to make him my friend.”
In August 1998 when
George H. W. Bush accepted the Republican nomination for President, he said, “I
want a kinder, gentler nation.” Five months later he was inaugurated as our
41st President. Do you recall what his first official act was as Chief
Executive? He led us in prayer. May God give us more leaders who lead us in
prayer.
It’s amazing that
President Bush said that one of our greatest needs is to become a kinder,
gentler
nation. If it’s true
of our nation, it’s also true of our churches, and our homes, and of each of us.
We certainly need a kinder, gentler culture, and a kinder, gentler world.
Unfortunately, it is
too common for “good, religious people” to be as mean as a snake. I’ve had more
than one server in a restaurant tell me the rudest folks are the church people
who eat out for Sunday lunch—and they say, “they’re the worse tippers!” OUCH! I
agree with the little girl who had spent all day with some of these “good,
religious people.” During her bedtime prayer she prayed, “Dear God, please make
all the bad people good; and make all the good people kind.”
We must be kind to
one another. Yes, we must be much kinder to one another than we presently are.
One thing we say around here a lot is the phrase, “I might need to change.” It
is a reminder that we haven’t arrived yet and Jesus is still working out His
will and good pleasure in each of us who believe in Him. Kindness isn’t
natural. It is supernatural, and we need to rely on Him to create kindness
within us each and every day.
In Jesus name and for His glory I
will be kind…what is your superpower?
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