I was deeply touched the other day after listening to a Dr. Charles Stanley sermon on the character trait of “Kindness.” Kindness is “an inner, awesome divine quality”, Stanley said.
For those who might not know Dr. Charles Stanley is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in northern Atlanta, Georgia. He is the founder and president of In Touch Ministries.
“Kindness is a very important quality”, says Stanley. A whim some kind of quality. Kindness is attractive at any age. Everyone loves somebody who is kind! Kindness a character quality God wants for everybody. In the book of Zechariah the prophet (7:9): ” Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another.”
Basically Stanley was asking us all the question: “Would you consider yourself a kind person?” “And if so how do you reflect that to others?”
Both are good, very thought provoking questions when you really think about it. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Stanley explained that kindness is a quality we all want for ourselves. After all don’t you want to be treated with kindness and respect. The answer is of course we do. Therefore it is also incumbent upon us as well to be kind to others. Galatians 5:22 puts it this way: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.”
Kindness is a “potential”, the reality of potential we all have as believers.
Kindness is a gateway to repentance.
The book of Romans 2: 4 says: “do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.”
Do you want to be kind? Do you want to be seen, know, felt, loved as a kind person?
The qualities of a kind person he explained includes, someone who: 1) Gives , 2) Forgives and 3) smiles at people. Yes “smiles” at people.
Kindness is transformative in the lives of individuals, it brings them closer together and bonds them is such a way that they were not before. That there is a certain magical quality about kindness.
Kindness loves, it forgives. Kindness is gentle, meek, easy going, warm hearted, unselfish, generous, considerate, thoughtful, healing, merciful…
May God help us all achieve the kindness standard within our own lives.
See video: Dr. Charles Stanley – Kindness http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9XkbIqb4yw