THE MILK OF HUMAN KINDNESS
Kindness is incredibly nurturing and
sustaining. As such, it is a fundamental
and indispensable human need. In one of
William Shakespeare’s well known plays, “Macbeth,” he writes about “the milk of
human kindness.” Indeed, kindness is life-giving
food for every God-created soul. In
truth, mutual kindness is such an extraordinary gift – so blessed, so
beneficial, so necessary – that no one can maintain genuine peace of mind or
find lasting fulfillment in the absence of it.
The Apostle Paul admonished the
Church of Ephesus, and by extension all future generations of Christians, “Be
ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for
Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32) If the entire world, especially those who
profess relationships with Christ, would pause
one moment BEFORE WE SPEAK to make sure that our words are a positive
source of healing and hope (not a weapon of anger or resentment), lasting peace
among individuals, groups and nations would be much easier to achieve.
Before Belinda and I married, we had
what I refer to as “THE TALK.” We shared
our life stories – the good, the bad, the ugly – and then we made what is
perhaps the most important pledge that can undergird the divine covenant of
marriage. On that day, we vowed that, no
matter what, we would treat each other with MUTUAL RESPECT and KINDNESS. It is an innate need – so fundamental and so
powerful that true kindness even trumps human sexuality. Think about it.
Allow me to be transparent. It is not always easy to keep our agreement. Marriage is hard work, no matter what anyone
says. Whenever marriages encounter
moments of frustration, upset, grief, anger, or disappointment, it is so easy
to revert to the carnality and pride that becomes the opening pitch in ‘THE
BLAME GAME.’ That is why self-control is
an indispensable component of “the fruit of the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
Question: Who do YOU AND I need to
forgive…to offer acceptance and kindness…before the sun sets today?
Question: Whose flaws, failures,
foibles and fiascoes do YOU AND I need to cover with love, instead of exposing
to our pride, anger, rejection, or indifference?
The Apostle Peter said it so
eloquently and succinctly: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love
covers a multitude of sins.” (I Peter 4:8, NIV) In the Pauline epistles, we learn that true
believers refuse to keep an active accounting of the wrongdoings of others. Quite the contrary; we who are under the
covenant of love somehow learn to bear all things, believe all things, hope all
things and endure all things. (I Corinthians, chapter 13)
In your quest to exemplify kindness,
prayerfully consider the following gems of wisdom:
“Kindness is the language which the
deaf can hear and the blind can see.” -Mark
Twain
“Constant kindness can accomplish
much. As the sun makes ice melt,
kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.” -Albert Schweitzer
“Beginning today, treat everyone you
meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and
understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.” -Og Mandino
My own writing today has motivated
me to initiate proactive adjustments in attitude and actions. I refuse to judge. I will not hold on to the past. I will forgive. I will love. I will be kind. I will strive – with all my body, soul and
spirit – to become more and more like Jesus Christ. Perhaps, you and I can humbly approach the
throne of God with this mutual prayer: “Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we
ask for Your forgiveness and for a lasting endowment of Your very essence –
LOVE – so that we may recognize our own faults and sins and so that we may be
genuinely loving, forgiving, open and kind to others. We ask all in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Sisters and brothers, be continually
blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON
COMING KING. Maranatha!
No comments:
Post a Comment