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(presented by Lisa Bishop)
Have you ever had an unkind word spoken to you? What feeling did it evoke? Harsh words uttered toward me have left me with a feeling of shame, embarrassment, fear, and self-doubt. How about you?
On the flipside, when have you spoken an unkind word or made an unkind gesture? To a friend, a spouse, a co-worker; or even a stranger? I say when because the reality is we all have less than shining moments when impatience, anger, frustration, or arrogance has gotten the best of us and lured us into behaviors unbecoming of a follower of Jesus. We know we are called to be kind, and yet insensitive, thoughtless, and inconsiderate words and actions can seep out of us. In a fast-paced world where stress and division can be prevalent, how do we cultivate kindness in our lives?
Ephesians 4:30-32 beautifully captures the essence of kindness:
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
These verses remind us of our calling as followers of Jesus and how we are to live set apart, pointing people to Jesus by pursuing kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Kindness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and can be a simple yet profound act of treating others with empathy and respect. And we can grieve the Holy Spirit when we act in unkind ways. The Greek word translated as “grieve” means “to cause to feel sorrow, pain, unhappiness, or distress.” The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is a person, not an it. He is God. He has a personality and the ability to feel emotions and we grieve the Holy Spirit when we hold grudges or withhold forgiveness. When we speak careless words to one another, instead of uplifting and encouraging words.
On my flight home from Utah a few days ago I caught a glimpse of a woman’s t-shirt. It said, “I’m doing the best I can.” Now I don’t know her story, but those words reminded me that we never know what people are dealing with. Behind smiles at the office and selfies on social media there is often a lot of pain and heartache. Let’s remember to be tenderhearted, kind, and loving toward others.