But the fruit of the Spirit is…kindness…. Galatians 5:22
If you’re nice to someone, if you hold the door for a stranger, if you make small talk in the checkout line, if you smile at others just because, if you exhibit this kind of unprovoked kindness that comes from within, you’re showing a gift from Holy Spirit. It’s one of His qualities; it’s one of the products of having Him guide your heart and your life. If you have God living through you, it’s inevitable that you will be kind. Loving people are kind; joyful people are kind; peaceful people are kind. Jesus Easter people are kind.
People on Facebook, Twitter, Truth Social, MSNBC, the Daily Kos, and Parler are all kind. Ok, not so much, at least not all of the time. Preaching to the choir here: kindness is a quality that’s in short supply these days. I’m guilty of displaying rampant unkindness in the era of social media. So are you, I’m betting. We Easter People are also fallen sinners. We mess up with or without good intentions. We’re mean to other drivers; we’re “judgy;” we’re impatient with each other, especially those closest to us.
Admit it: we are all sometimes unkind.
But don’t fall for the trap of thinking that, just because you and I are sometimes unkind, the Holy Spirit isn’t in us, or that He makes us say and do stupid things. Or that, because we slip up, He will abandon us. That isn’t how God works. He said to us that there’s NOTHING we can do to have our faith taken away. We can give it up and renounce it (and that would blaspheme His Spirit), but nobody can take it away, no matter what they do or say. No other human can force you to give up believing in God. Even when we make mistakes and are unkind, Jesus’ Spirit still abides in us. It’s the only thing that enables us to get up and try again. TO apologize and repent. Indeed, I’m thankful God is longsuffering and patient with us because we aren’t with each other.
Maybe our world is pretty far gone. Maybe evil, the left, whatever are winning in the culture war. Maybe the West is dying. Maybe you and I can’t change the hearts of millions; maybe we aren’t supposed to. Instead, maybe we’re supposed to simply start being kind to each other every day, one person at a time. When we’re kind, we share some of Jesus with each other. In doing that, we leave it up to His Spirit to change the millions. So, today, hold the door for someone new. It’s a good start.
For further reading: John 15:4, Romans 8:39, Galatians 5:22-23
Lord, forgive my hard-hearted unkindness. Thank You for Your patience. Help me be kind to everyone I meet.
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