Nourish Your Heart

Where in this world is kindness? Does the quality gentleness come along with kindness? Where do I go to be able to achieve this with any consistency during my regular days of interruptions and deadlines?

God is kind. He loves us and shows us his kindness by leading us into a radical life change. He helps us move toward a better life. He shows us how to repent and become new. He takes our hand.

God is gentle with those he loves. He has kindness in his heart for all those who seek him. He looks at those who do not know that they seek him.

But how am I to be kind. God gave me new life. He gave me a new set of clothes to wear. Kindness is part of that wardrobe. Always filled and covered with love because I never want to be without God’s love.

And when I am kind I am living God’s way. I will develop a sense of compassion in my heart. Because that is God’s way. And against these things there is no law.

Lord, you way is higher than my way. You show me how to be kind. You lift me up into your ways so that I can be filled with kindness but not soft. You show me how to be full of gentle kindness for others.

You give me an affection for others and an exuberance about life. You give me serenity. You work in me so I have a willingness to stick with things. Because of you I find myself involved in loyal commitments. I don’t need to force my way. I don’t need a list of rules to follow. I don’t need to provide a list of rules for those around me.

We live and exist in your love, surrounded by your quiet strength and infused with your glorious joy.

Romans 2:4 God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.

Romans 11:21-22 Make sure you stay alert to these qualities of gentle kindness and ruthless severity that exist side by side in God—ruthless with the deadwood, gentle with the grafted shoot.

Colossians 3:12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [[a]that can bring a charge].

Galatians 5:22-23 But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way.

ACCEPT THE WEAK IN FAITH Romans 14:1 - Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.

Jesus left his heavenly glory to become man — to walk the don dusty Judean trails, to mingle with lepers and to train twelve unlearned men who would hold the keys to his Kingdom. Jesus died for all sinners. He became weak so we could become strong. He became nothing for us, so we could become the daughters of God.

Paul writes, “I became weak to win the weak. I became all things to all men to save some.” I Corinthians 9:22 He suggested the strong bear the failings of the weak. (Romans 15:1 – We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.)

Christians never stand on the same level of maturity in the church. Older Christians must teach babies to walk; they must stoop to carry the burdens of the weak in love. This sharing strengthens the strong and serves the weak.

Prayer: Lord help me to see and help those in need. Show me when my help is needed for my fellow man.

Parenting is hard. It involves being an adult and looking at things differently. It requires me to think first about the other person and what they are feeling. It brings up my own issues of abandonment, authority, respect, love and trust. It is about recognizing that I am tired, or upset about something else or hungry or feeling overwhelmed. Then I take a breath, reach out to God for strength and calm, and focus on the person in front of me.

When someone acts differently than I think they should have, the reason behind that action always surprises me. And if I approach them from my own limited viewpoint with my agenda uppermost, I have stopped any communication before it begins. Even if I would have approved of their reasoning, I may never know, because they clammed up and did not trust my reactions.

Listening, from a calm peaceful heart, with love and respect, leads to communication, healing and bonding.

Proverbs 18:13 Anyone who answers without listening is foolish and confused.

James 1:19 My dear brothers and sisters, always be willing to listen and slow to speak. Do not become angry easily