Kindness - it's a characteristic of love.

In the home of the Roman centurion, Cornelius, Peter shared about the Lord Jesus. One of the things that he said about Him was that "... He went about doing good ..." (Acts 10:38). Jesus was, in fact, kindness and goodness personified, for He was full of God the Holy Spirit. When the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, we too will want "... to walk in the same way in which He walked." (1 John 2:6), and spend our lives ministering to others.

Let's face it - everyone can perform some deed of kindness each day. A pleasant greeting; an expression of sympathy; a visit to a shut-in person (perhaps with a couple of cakes to go with a cup of  coffee!); even a good book passed on to gladden another's heart. A lunch shared; an errand done; a word of affection, or encouragement. These are the kinds of things that are within the power of almost everyone. Larger opportunities may not come our way, but those smaller ones are almost always to hand.

I read, recently, of an Arab who was chauffeur for a lady travelling in the Holy Land. Noticing an obviously Jewish driver experiencing difficulties with his car, and having received permission from his employer, he stopped to offer assistance. It didn't take him too many minutes to realise that he didn't have the parts necessary to get the other car moving again, so, having once more sought permission, he invited the Jewish man to ride in the front with him so that he could take him into the city where he could get further help. 

After he left the Jew at a garage, the lady expressed her surprise at the kind treatment the driver had given one who, she had supposed, was his enemy! "I didn't know that Arabs were so friendly with Jews!", she remarked. The chauffeur's reply was accompanied with a joyous smile. "Things like that don't make any difference to me since I've been converted! The Lord Jesus wants us to treat everyone as we would wish to be treated."

Now I appreciate that one does not require to be a disciple of Jesus in order to be kind. However, those of us who have become identified with Him should be so filled with His grace that we constantly overflow with compassion and consideration for others. Writing to his fellow-believers in the Galatian churches, the apostle Paul declared that: "... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;" (Gal 5:22-23). I have long contended that, if the apostle had been writing using modern punctuation marks (which he did not!), there would be a colon (:) after the word "love". You see, the word "fruit"is singular, meaning that there is only one "fruit of the Spirit". The other characteristics, I suggest, are ways by which that love is expressed! You may have noticed that one of them is "kindness"!

Will you seek to express love by acts of kindness, today? Will you? 

Don't quit!

Ten days since my last post - a record that I do not wish to break!  The problem has been lack of internet access, for a number of reasons.  However, I am back - and trust that I will be able to resume my more regular posting.

I was reading, earlier today, of a pastor who was growing rather weary in his ministry - a not uncommon situation among the clergy!  He had a dream.  He dreamed that he was pounding away at a huge chink of granite, with a pick-axe.  He knew that his job was to break it into small pieces but, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't manage to chip off even the tiniest flake.  At last, tired, disappointed, and disillusioned, he decided to give up.

Just then a stranger appeared and asked, "Weren't you given an order to do that work?  Your duty is to give it your best - regardless of the outcome."  The pastor picked up the pick-axe from where he had thrown it on the ground and, with renewed vigour and determination, lifted it high in the air and brought it down, hard, on the granite.  It broke into a thousand pieces!  He had been ready to quit - just one blow from success.

It's only a story, of course.  However, it does have a profound message.  Certainly, for the disciple of Jesus, it is that we should keep working at any task that the Lord has given us regardless of how difficult it may be.  Even when anything resembling 'success' seems to be remote, if not impossible, we are to remain faithful and obedient - assured that there will be an ample reward for those who persevere.

I wonder if you have grown weary in your service for the Lord?!  Have you become so discouraged that you are ready to "throw in the towel"?   Remember the pastor's dream.  Even better, remember the words of Paul to his friends in Christ Jesus, in the Galatian churches: "... let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart." (Gal 6:9).

Someone has said: "Failure is not defeat - unless you stop trying."!  Don't quit!