THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12
“What
does the Lord require of you…to love kindness.” Mic 6:8 NAS
KINDNESS
Every day we miss opportunities to be kind in order
to save a few seconds. One author writes, “When I treat people as obstacles, or
a means to getting things done, I become a smaller man. With each brusque
comment…dismissive glance…curt reply I lose a little more of myself…my
relationship with God suffers.” Paul says, “The fruit of the Spirit is…kindness”
(Gal 5:22 NKJV), and you can’t love God without being kind to those He loves.
Consider Ruth and Naomi. When circumstances left them
widowed, Ruth told her aging mother-in-law, “Don’t ask me to leave you…May the
Lord punish me…if I allow anything but death to separate us!” (Ru 1:16-17 NLT).
Consider Jonathan and David. When
Saul tried to kill David, Jonathan stuck by him and “loved him as himself” (1
Sa 18:3 NIV) although it meant sacrificing his chance to become king. Consider
the Shunammite woman who noticed
Elisha was always passing her house, so she built a little room so he could “turn
in” when he was tired (2Ki 4:9-10 NAS). You never regret kindness. Og Mandino
says, “Treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight.
Extend all the care, kindness and understanding you can, with no thought of
reward, and your life will never be the same.”
Taken
from The Word for You Today devotional
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