Choosing Kindness Over Condemnation

Choosing Kindness over Condemnation

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

1 John 4:7-8

A good friend of mine has an extended family member who has not always made wise choices. Years of addiction and chaos have led to several burned bridges within their family. This person will do well for a while and then inevitably take several steps backward in his recovery. It’s happened more times than my friend can count.

But even with all his faults, he has had shining moments of compassion and care for my friend and others in her family, which remind her that he is still a human being with thoughts and feelings, who is deserving of kindness.

Just last winter my friend found out this person’s heat was about to be shut off, and she and a few of her family members decided they would pay for the gas to heat his house through the rest of the winter months. Without a word to her relative, they simply took care of the need, while also taking care of him, showing once again the love that they have for him.

Loving others is not always easy. Often we do not see an obvious return on our investment of kindness or care. Although I am a huge advocate of appropriate boundaries, especially with family members who may try to use or abuse us, there are also times when we may be called to give a little more than we receive in a relationship. When that happens, we can remind ourselves of how much God has given to each of us. As 1 John reminds us, love comes first from God, and anyone who loves others is a child of God. When we remember God’s love and grace for us, how can we not extend that same kindness toward others?

—Kendra

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Pray for a family member whom you may need to be reconciled with, and, if appropriate, ask God to show you one way you could extend kindness toward this person.