When you think about the people that you come across throughout your day the ones who you remember are the ones who take the time out of their day to acknowledge you, encourage you, inspire you, and show you that someone cares. Those are the people who make a difference. They are the people who don't show you kindness just to get something back. It's not the salesman that lowers the price of a product just so he can get your business. It's not the person who holds your hand in hopes that they might get something more out of you. It's not the person who gives you something and expects double back. Genuine kindness is the person who expects nothing back in return. It is kindness without selfish intent. In my experience I see several people who call themselves Christians acting in light of that just as much as people who don't believe in God can at times.
Is this truly the kind of people God intends for us to be? According to God's Word it is far from it. Luke 6:35 says, "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked." It is definitely something that we should strive towards as Christians AND don't forget this golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Boy, it sure is hard sometimes! People will treat you with the utmost disrespect at times, but the best solution to that is to treat them back with the utmost kindness. We all have heard the expression, "Kill them with kindness." It happens to be one of my favorite quotes especially because I have a personality where I just want to teach people a lesson, but the Bible mentions something along the lines of this in Proverbs 25:22- "In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you."
When someone treats you wrong don't return the "favor" because returning kindness to them stings more than a harsh word. Remember that one day they will stand before the judment seat and will have to give an account to the Most High. It isn't our job to judge those who have evil intent, but to set an example. There are people out there that would love to see you fall including the one who is out to kill, steal, and destroy. 2 Timothy 2:23-25 says, "Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth." In some cases it is best to leave the situation be when the one who you have tried talking to about an issue avoids the problem.
In that case two things will happen. They will either grow maturity and talk about it or they won't. It's that simple. In times where they don't you owe it to yourself to move on, be happy, and ignore their evil intent so that it may not get the best of you. Some don't realize what they do and some do it with the intention to cause spite. Don't give them that satisfaction. If they do come to you and start to confront the issue then give them the benefit of the doubt. Until then pray for them and if they continue in their deceit or whatever it may be that caused an argument or misunderstanding then rest yourself in the fact that you did what you could. Let God deal with their heart. What do you do in that time? Kindle a deeper kindness within, strive to be the best that you can be, and trust in God that things will work out in the way that God has planned for it to.
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