Love is patient;

Love is Kind

I once heard a deacon say that the typical person lives the virtues of this famous love verse by inserting the word “not” in each phrase. If that was the case, than love is not kind.

I had one of those “love is not kind” kind of a days (this was written Sunday.) I don’t know what started it, or should I say, what ticked me off, but I was feeling very unkind from the moment I woke up. It got better throughout the day but would trickle back into my day when I least expected it.

I think the devil plants himself into my life full force on Sundays. Why Sundays? It is the Lord’s day and I should be focused on Him. But for some reason I allow the devil to enter my heart and I’m very unkind.

Time and time again, the devil enters the hearts of the people around Jesus. But regardless of what the people do or say, Jesus is kind. Even when the Roman shoulders mock Him as He hands on the cross, Jesus prays for them. He is the definition of kindness.

When you are kind, you put others before yourself. I struggle with this often with my relationship with my husband. A lot falls on my shoulders since I am a work-at-home mom. In many instances, I run the household and because of this, I think I can take on a dictatorship type role. When I do this, I am not kind. I’m the opposite and that is when I notice I’ve let the devil enter my heart.

When you are kind, you allow others to see Christ through you. When I discussed this with my husband he said, kindness can be shown in a simple smile to a stranger on the street.

If kindness is that simple, then why do we struggle? Or is it easier to be kind to a stranger than to those we love? I think that is very true. I’ve heard before that you should do random of acts of kindness without letting anyone know. Most of the time, people do random acts of kindness to strangers. But I challenge you, and challenge myself, to do random acts of kindness for those we love.

Because, as Proverbs 12:25 states: Worry weighs down the heart, but a kind word gives it joy.