Try A Little Kindness

[Castaway57]

We Have Got To Try A Little Kindness

Isa 54:8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

Kindness is not something you do; it is something you are.

"Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust and hostility to evaporate."
Albert Schweitzer, (1875-1965)

'Try A Little Kindness' - Glen Campbell. - YouTube

The badge of Christianity is not an outward sign, not the wearing of a cross or a crown, but it is that which reveals the union of man with God. By the power of His grace manifested in the transformation of character the world is to be convinced that God has sent His Son as its Redeemer. No other influence that can surround the human soul has such power as the influence of an unselfish life. The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian. {MH 470.1}

The purpose of this topic is to talk about kindness. Have you been treated with some? Have you tried some out on others? What happened as a result? Can you share various quotes or pictures about kindness?

Perhaps you are someone who has not experienced a lot of kindness. You are hurting deeply over it all. This topic is especially for you. All those things that have hurt you and made you feel unloved, and like the prodigal are in God's hands

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

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[Castaway57]

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[Tigger45]

Being kind has it's immediate rewards. It feels good being kind.

Great thread by the way.

 

[Castaway57]

Being kind has it's immediate rewards. It feels good being kind.

Great thread by the way.

Yes; and I think being kind - showing kindness, also has it's long term effects!

Tit 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

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[Maka]

I love this thread =)

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[Castaway57]

[Staff Edit]

Luk_6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

1Co_13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Eph_4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Eph_4:32. Kind Words Never Lost.--It should be our aim to bring all the pleasantness possible into our lives, and to do all the kindness possible to those around us. Kind words are never lost. Jesus records them as if spoken to Himself. Sow the seeds of kindness, of love, and of tenderness, and they will blossom and bear fruit (MS 33, 1911). {6BC 1118.2}

 

[Castaway57]

I love this thread =)

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Yes! You are right! Everyone can afford to give this gift! Thank you for your contribution here!

 

[Castaway57]

Administer the rules of the home in wisdom and love, not with a rod of iron. Children will respond with willing obedience to the rule of love. Commend your children whenever you can. Make their lives as happy as possible. . . . Keep the soil of the heart mellow by the manifestation of love and affection, thus preparing it for the seed of truth. Remember that the Lord gives the earth not only clouds and rain, but the beautiful, smiling sunshine, causing the seed to germinate and the blossom to appear. Remember that children need not only reproof and correction, but encouragement and commendation, the pleasant sunshine of kind words. {AH 18.3}

 

[Castaway57]

Those who profess to be servants of the living God must be willing to be servants of all, instead of being exalted above the brethren, and they must possess a kind, courteous spirit..--EW 102.

 

[Castaway57]

There are 43 verses in the Bible with the word "kindness" in them; and the word kindness is mentioned a total of 48 times within these texts.

I am thinking that kindness, and being kind is very important to God because these texts range from the Book of Genesis, all the way to 2 Peter.

There are also a total of 32 verses in the Bible wherein the word "kind" is mentioned for a total of 45 times.

This makes a total of 75 verses in the Bible which mention either being kind or showing kindness for a total of 93 times.

So kindness and being kind is obviously very important to God; and should be for Christians too. The scripture I want to talk about first, regarding kindness is a hard pill for many to swallow, specially when a person becomes critical of the church or has a bad experience with someone from the church - and for this topic; I mean any church, not just the one I go to.

Luk 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

If Jesus is kind to the unthankful and to the evil; what possible reason could we have for not doing likewise?

"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Gal_6:10. {MH 201.2}

How can we possibly obey this scripture if we do not belong to a church?

In a special sense, Christ has laid upon His church the duty of caring for the needy among its own members. He suffers His poor to be in the borders of every church. They are always to be among us, and He places upon the members of the church a personal responsibility to care for them. {MH 201.3}

As the members of a true family care for one another, ministering to the sick, supporting the weak, teaching the ignorant, training the inexperienced, so is "the household of faith" to care for its needy and helpless ones. Upon no consideration are these to be passed by. {MH 201.4}

I really like the way Mathew Henry's Concise Commentary talks about Luke 6:35 -

These are hard lessons to flesh and blood. But if we are thoroughly grounded in the faith of Christ's love, this will make his commands easy to us. Every one that comes to him for washing in his blood, and knows the greatness of the mercy and the love there is in him, can say, in truth and sincerity, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Let us then aim to be merciful, even according to the mercy of our heavenly Father to us.

Have you personally experienced God's mercy?

 

[Castaway57]

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Being kind involves being what God wants us to be. Kindness/being kind, can certainly have some aspects that we have not thought of before. One of the things He wants us all to be is a person who rests in Him. After all, how will you help someone else to do that, if you don't? Here are just a few thoughts on that...the video especially speaks to how the kindness part fits in here.

KEEP AT YOUR WORK

The Lord has given to every man his work. It is every man's business to do his work, and the devil's business to hinder him if he can. Be sure as God has given you a work to do, Satan will try to hinder you if he can. He may throw you from it; he may present other things more promising; he may allure you by worldly prospects; He may assault with slander, torment you with false accusations, set you at work defending your character, employ pious persons to lie about you, editors to assail you, officials to accuse you, and excellent men to slander you. You may have Pilate and Herod, Ananias and Caiaphas, all combined against you, and Judas standing by, ready to sell you for thirty pieces of silver; and you may wonder why all these things come upon you. Can you not see that the whole thing is brought about through the craft of the devil, to draw you off from your work and hinder your obedience to God?

Keep about your work. Do not flinch because the lion roars; do not stop to stone the devil's dog; do not fool away your time chasing the devil's rabbits. Do your work. Let liars lie, let sectarians quarrel, let corporations resolve, let editors publish, let the devil do his worst; but see to it that nothing hinder you from fulfilling the work that God has given you.

He has not sent you to make money. He has not commanded you to get rich. He has never bidden you defend your character. He has never set you at work to contradict that which Satan and his servants may start to peddle. If you do these things, you will do nothing else; you will be at work for yourself, and not for the Lord.

Keep about your work. Let your aim be as steady as a star. Let the world brawl and bubble. You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered, wounded, and rejected; you may be abused by foes, forsaken by friends, and despised and rejected of men; but see to it with steadfast determination, with unfaltering zeal, that you pursue the great purpose of your life and object of your being until at last you can say, "I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do."

Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. -- Matthew 11:28

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v8CU9bA0ow​

 

[Castaway57]

Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Some pride themselves in not being kind; they call what they do "the straight testimony;" and they accuse the peace-makers in the church of "crying peace and safety." But they actually break God's law in acting like this.

We break all ten of the commandments when we refuse to be kind, or make fun of those who try to support/promote being kind.

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

In giving this lesson, Christ presented the principles of the law in a direct, forcible way, showing His hearers that they had neglected to carry out these principles. His words were so definite and pointed that the listeners could find no opportunity to cavil. The lawyer found in the lesson nothing that he could criticize. His prejudice in regard to Christ was removed. But he had not overcome his national dislike sufficiently to give credit to the Samaritan by name. When Christ asked, "Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?" he answered, "He that showed mercy on him." {COL 380.1}

"Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise." Show the same tender kindness to those in need. Thus you will give evidence that you keep the whole law. {COL 380.2}

Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

And be ye kind one to another - Benignant, mild, courteous, “polite” - χρηστοὶ chrēstoi. 1Pe_3:8. Christianity produces true courteousness, or politeness. It does not make one rough, crabby, or sour; nor does it dispose its followers to violate the proper rules of social contact. The secret of true politeness is “benevolence,” or a desire to make others happy; and a Christian should be the most polite of people. There is no religion in a sour, misanthropic temper; none in rudeness, stiffness, and repulsiveness; none in violating the rules of good breeding. There is a hollow-hearted politeness, indeed, which the Christian is not to aim at or copy. His politeness is to be based on “kindness;” Col_3:12. His courtesy is to be the result of love, good-will, and a desire of the happiness of all others; and this will prompt to the kind of conduct that will render his conversation. with others agreeable and profitable. (Albert Barnes Notes On The Bible).

 

[Castaway57]

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