Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Kindness ( Luke 10:33) Day 63
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
Kindness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Kindness Day 63
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he
saw him, he had compassion.
Luke
10:33
Living by the Spirit and being kind are not qualities that
will be noticed at first sight. Kindness is a fruit that is revealed in our actions.
A kind heart actively shows kindness without reservation or hesitation. Whereas
patience is responsive, kindness is not passive or awaiting an invitation.
Kindness takes initiative. The parable of “The Good Samaritan” exemplifies such
initiative.
The priest and Levite both crossed the street when they saw a
man in need. Their actions moved them away from showing kindness. Had they
known the man’s full background, perhaps they would have stopped to help.
However, it was the “kind” Samaritan who showed initiative and stepped into
action. He acted without concern for who would be the recipient of his
kindness. He did not know the story of the man in need. He simply acted.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Kindness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Kindness Day 62
Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this
is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew
7:12
So many people have become familiar with “The Golden Rule”
that some do not attribute it to being one of Christ’s teachings. Now, some
even use a twisted version of this lesson as an excuse to treat others harshly
and to have a defensive mindset. They offer, “I will treat others badly if they
cross me because I would expect the same in return.”
For us to follow Jesus’ teachings, we must do more than just
go through the motions of kindness. We must move beyond simply performing one individual
kind act and waiting for the right time to perform another. We should move
toward having an ongoing attitude of kindness. Charitable donations and being
courteous are ways of showing kindness. Our hearts, however, may reveal whether
our motivations were to show a spirit of kindness, to make impressions on
others, or only to receive for a tax deduction.
Are your thoughts toward others thoughts of kindness or self-promotion?
Do you have a pure heart of kindness, or are you simply displaying well-trained
public behaviors? Do you manifest the pure kindness of the Spirit in your
thoughts and actions? If so, there will be fruit. Let us seek pure hearts that
reveal the attitude we want others to have with us.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Monday, March 23, 2015
Kindness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Kindness Day 61
Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be
condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Luke
6:37
During courtroom trials, a verdict is not given until all the
evidence has been presented. Only then does a judge or jury make a decision
about the case. Away from court, it has become common for opinions and
critiques to be made about a person based on individual acts or associations. How
would we appear if God treated us based on a moment’s glance during our past
failures or times of weakness? If we were to be judged based on our fruit, we would
hope that the decision would not be made until we were fully ripe.
Our acts or attitudes of kindness to others should not focus
on temporary or former circumstances. We can choose to be kind regardless of someone’s
past acts or current situation. Our kindness should have a long term and
eternal view. This view allows us to be kind, regardless of the moment. Our
kindness should never condone what is wrong. However, we should never forget
the grace that God abundantly provides.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Kindness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Kindness Day 60
He who oppresses the poor
reproaches his Maker, But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.
Proverbs
14:31
We strive most days to improve ourselves, our financial
security, and our position in life. Along the way, there may be the temptation
to look down on or discount those who are not making the same strides that we
are making. It is easy to impose our own experiences, expectations, and backgrounds
onto their situations. We may ask why has he or she chosen to remain in or give
in to that lifestyle. We may wonder what mistakes have they made to cause them
to struggle or to be in their circumstances.
Instead of examining for fault in the lives of others, let us
seek ways that we can bless others. While we are taking time to criticize, we
may be failing to recognize the opportunities God has provided for us to help
others. We may be missing chances to share knowledge that God has blessed us to
have. How many families and children might be impacted if we stopped sharing
opinions and started sharing time? You may need to take the time and consider,
“Where would you be if there was not a blessing in your past or in the past of your
family long ago?”
To honor our God is to honor His ways. So, let us honor Him
in how we treat others. This day, let us have mercy on those in need. Let us seek
to serve others with a spirit of kindness. Let us remember the mercy and grace
God has shown toward us.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Monday, March 16, 2015
Kindness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Kindness Day 59
4 God our Savior
showed us how good and kind he is. 5 He saved us because of his
mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing
of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Titus
3:4-5
We have access to so many comforts by way of modernization or
our citizenship that it is easy to feel entitled to certain comforts and
luxuries. However, if we attempt to believe that we are entitled to salvation,
then just when did we earn God’s grace and mercy? What act has anyone ever done
that caused him or her to be entitled to eternal life? How did they earn the
forgiveness of their sins and wrongdoings? What words have ever been spoken
that entitled someone to the mercy of God?
Truly, there is no action that we can take or word we can ever
speak that will prove that we deserve God’s mercy. Even though we could never
earn mercy, Christ died for us as the ultimate act of kindness. If God never
does anything else for us, His kindness (by way of His grace and mercy) truly
is sufficient.
Let us show that we do not take grace for granted. We can
show that we do appreciate His loving kindness toward us through our kindness
to others. As Christ has been kind to us, let us express to the world that we,
as God’s children, have this spirit of kindness.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Kindness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Kindness Day 58
Love . . . is kind
1
Corinthians 13:4
Just as wealth may be passed from generation to generation,
so may family values and lessons. These lessons, once learned or adopted by
others in the past, in time, may prove to be either valid or not. Nevertheless,
such lessons, along with the opinions of our associates, may cause us to
instinctively respond in certain ways towards certain people and situations.
The question ultimately may be asked, are we guided by the values of others or
the value of love taught by Christ?
Do we have a litmus test for when we will be proactive with
kindness? Do we criticize the unwed mother and forget that she chose life over
abortion? Do we avoid helping young people in particular neighborhoods because
we feel the people in those communities should help their own? Do we refuse to
assist some individuals due to the differences in our political opinions and
miss out on opportunities to share the gospel? Such unkindness may present a
false view of true, loving Christianity.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Monday, March 9, 2015
Kindness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Kindness Day 57
Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write
them on the tablet of your heart,
- NASB
Proverbs
3:3
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book, The Scarlet Letter, the character Hester Prynne is forced to wear the letter “A” on her dress as a
symbol of her sin of adultery. Today, instead of intentionally wearing symbols
that report personal sin, it is common to see people wearing symbols associated
with faith. However, a fish symbol on a car, a cross on a necklace, or even a
cross as a tattoo does not reveal a person’s true character or commitment to
God. Our true commitment to God is not something that is evident in jewelry or
markings. It is recognized in our fruit and character.
Physical markings and jewelry can be taken off or removed.
One act of kindness may be forgotten or overshadowed by countless other acts of
selfishness or rudeness. To continuously reveal the trait of kindness, we need
to make it a part of our character and who we are. When we are bound to
kindness like chains, we will be kind regardless of when it is, where we are,
or whether we feel like it.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Kindness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Kindness Day 56
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return;
and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is
kind to the unthankful and evil.
Luke
6:35
We are no longer under the law of the Old Testament. We are
freed by grace, through Christ. Now, we live by the Spirit. One way of showing
that we are of the Spirit is by showing that we have the character traits of
God. This can be done by revealing the fruit of kindness to all, just as God
has done for us all - even though none of us is deserving.
Luke 6:35 identifies certain ways in which we show kindness.
For some, it may be easy to grasp the concept of loving our enemies. Many
recognize the significance of performing good deeds. Some of us even have no
problem lending. Christ issues a challenge in this scripture, however, by
telling us to not even hope for anything in return.
If we desire to have the traits of God, our kindness should
not be contingent upon whether we will be thanked. When we reveal the fruit of
the Spirit in us, we do not evaluate if the recipient of our kindness has
earned it. No matter if others are unthankful or even evil, our kindness should
indicate that we are focused on the ultimate reward – being considered children
of the Most High God. We show that we are the children of the Most High God by
acting like it, with kindness.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Monday, March 2, 2015
Patience (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Patience Day 55
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts
of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah
29:11
When reading a book, there is sometimes the temptation to
flip ahead to the climax to find out what happens in the end. Now that viewers
have access to entire seasons of television shows on DVD or by the internet,
there also may be the temptation to skip episodes to see how the season ends.
Sometimes, we wish to take sneak peeks ahead in our own lives because, even
though we trust God, we are still concerned with what lies ahead in the future.
Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that no matter the situation,
circumstance, or trial, the Lord’s thoughts toward us are not of evil, but of
peace. No matter what we experience, He has given us a future and a hope. Our
future and hope may not always be what we desire. In fact, it may be difficult,
at times, to be patient and faithful beyond our immediate circumstances.
Let us not forget that our immediate circumstances are not predictors
of our eternal reality. If we could turn the pages of our lives to the final
chapter, we would see that God’s thoughts toward us are of ultimate and eternal
peace. So, let us work to excel at revealing the fruit of patience. Let us face
each individual day with an eternal view and with patience.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
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