Faith

Practicing Kindness

/ Gail Johnson / 23 Comments

Good morning! I hope you enjoyed your holiday.

This month we’re talking about kindness. Do you find it hard to be kind to others?

You know, the person who cut you off when driving to work. The waitress who brought you the wrong order. The lady in the checkout with 100 coupons! The friend who uses and abuses your friendship. That child who can’t seem to get it right. The spouse who continually makes bad choices. I could go on and on. Just add your pet peeve to the list.

Now before you think I’m suggesting that we never defend ourselves or our beliefs, let me clarify. I’m talking about common courtesy that we were taught as children. The kindness we learned about while sitting on a pew or at a school desk.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. 1 Corinthians 13:4 KJV

Love is longsuffering. Love doesn’t fly off the handle.

Love is kind, filled with compassion.

Love doesn’t envy another.

Love doesn’t boast. Love is humble.

Love is not proud or self-centered.

Kindness is…

Webster defines kindness as being kind.

Synonyms for kind include compassionate, considerate, courteous, and friendly.

I don’t know about you, but I think the world could use a lot more kindness. And a lot less speaking every thought that pops into our heads. Imagine what the world would be like if, when we did speak, our words were laced with compassion and humility and a little less pride. When we treat others as we like to be treated every moment of the day, kindness becomes a lifestyle and not just a random act.

 

Rambo 2-1 Seneca 2

This is Rambo. He belongs to my niece. He is a barrel racer. I love taking pictures of him.

Seneca’s statement suggests it would be better if we were unable to speak rather than say the things we often say.

It has been stated that we can say the right thing the wrong way and still be wrong. Hmm… Yes, in the span of our lives we will have to say hard things, but the spirit in which the message is delivered will speak louder and remain longer than the words spoken.

I don’t know about you, but I have room for improvement. The good news is our Father, through the Son’s work at Calvary and the gift of His Spirit, has given us power to overcome. We don’t have to remain the same. We can change. Isn’t that marvelous?

May we all become kinder in our relationship with others.

Click to Tweet: When I think over what I have said, I envy dumb people. Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Reflection

Have you ever wished you’d remained silent in certain situations?

Patience’s Experience

/ Gail Johnson / 13 Comments

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:3-5

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We spend our lives trying to obtain patience. And in the end, we are more patient than in the beginning. Which is amazing since we have less time to wait. 😉

But we can’t argue the benefits of patience. All things take time. Our very existence testifies of patience. Nothing happens instantaneously.

Through patience we obtain experience. Let us remember to always have patience with ourselves and with others. No one learns everything the first time around.

Thought

Is it easier for you to have patience with others or yourself?

So What Changed?

/ Gail Johnson / 8 Comments

Good morning, fellow traveler! During a recent storm, the title of this post echoed in my mind and reminded me of a favorite passage in the Bible. I would like to share it with you this morning.

And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. Matthew 14:22-24 KJV

The word contrary means opposite or antagonistic. Have you ever felt like you were rowing against contrary winds? Maybe it was a situation or a person. And no matter what you tried nothing seemed to work.

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. Matthew 14:25-26 KJV

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But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. Matthew 14:27-30

So what changed between stepping out of the boat and sinking beneath the waves? Notice Peter walked on water. Walking on water wasn’t an impossibility. It only became impossible when Peter focused on his circumstances. Our faith isn’t found in our circumstance but in the Master of the Wind.

Stormy Sea Coast Pixabay

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Matthew 14:31-32

Something else that caught my eye was the wind was blowing from the time Peter left the boat until he reentered the ship. The Lord didn’t calm the winds to deliver Peter. Likewise, He may not calm the wind in our lives. But He will answer the cries of our heart and immediately takes us in His arms.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

In this world, we will have troubles and trials. No doubt about that, my friend. But, our hardships are what the Potter uses to strengthen and grow us. I think the following song fits nicely with this post. It is a prayer about sleeping in the storm. Hope you enjoy it.