Kindness

kindness - Am I always supposed to be kind—even to difficult people?

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.

2 Timothy 2:24

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! . . . Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.

Proverbs 3:3-4

The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. . . . The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness.

Psalm 145:8, 17

How kind the LORD is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours!

Psalm 116:5

IT CAN FEEL impossible to show kindness to those we feel don’t deserve it. But God’s Word encourages us to be merciful, compassionate, and loving toward all people. Kindness is behaving toward others mercifully, the way God behaves toward us. It is not limited to a single act; it is a lifestyle. If you are struggling to show kindness to someone today, reflect on how God has been kind to you. Remember that when you practice kindness, God promises that your soul will be nourished and refreshed, you will gain a good reputation, and, in the process, you will come to know him better.

Prayer Prompts

Lord, sometimes it is hard for me to be kind to . . .

Your Word encourages me to live a life full of kindness by . . .