Tag Archives: Kindness

Tips for Activating Good Will

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With Sisters in Christ

1. Resolve in your mind that you want God’s will above your will (Matthew 26:39).
2. Don’t vent to others unless they are wise counselors and you are seeking biblical advice. You may be unknowingly gossiping about the person.
3. Meet with the person who has offended with you. Discuss your issues with biblical reconciliation at the forefront of your mind (Matthew 18:15-16; Philippians 4:2-3; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Galatians 6:1; and James 5:16).
4. Meet again with a mediator if you two don’t come to a biblical resolution. Remember there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors (Proverbs 11:14). Make sure you both agree on who any additional people should be. These should be people who are known to strive to meet biblical standards of reconciliation.
5. Understand that reconciliation may not be immediately available, but that doesn’t mean you don’t strive for it (Matthew 18:17; Romans 12:18).
6. Continue to work to do God’s will with your sister in Christ or without her, making sure not to slander her.

In the World

7. Fulfill God’s commands to impact the world for Christ (Isaiah 61:1-2). In Christ’s stead, we must be his hands and feet on the earth to meet the needs of people.
a. Preach gospel of Christ to those in need. Do everything you can to tell people about salvation through Jesus Christ. Don’t stop there. Show people, through your actions, the power and love of Jesus by
b. feeding the hungry.
c. clothing the naked.
d. binding up (bandage or heal the wounds of) the brokenhearted.
e. comforting all that mourn.
Do all these for individuals you know, through your church, established organizations or a ministry you begin. The point is: Don’t make an excuse for not doing good: being kind to your brothers and sisters in Christ and showing benevolence to those throughout the world. This is the call for all Christians, including the strong black woman who’s trying to refocus her attitude from simply doing good to look good but doing good because goodness emanates from her changed heart that seeks to be like Christ.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Kindness: Serious Christianity

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Evangelist Minetta Hare said that people don’t take Christianity seriously because Christians don’t take Christianity seriously. That cut deep when I read that because I know for the most part that is true. We Christians display our lack of seriousness when we aren’t willing to sacrifice for Jesus Christ and His kingdom.

“Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us” (Ephesians 4:32).

On Monday I posted this as one of two scriptures that I based how Christians should exhibit being good, not just going along to get along but truly displaying Christ-like behavior. An Ephesians 4-32 word study paints with clarity the picture that should be our lives: We are required to be useful for each other, compassionate toward each other, pardoning each other’s violations toward us just as God the Father forgave the sins of those who trust in Christ because of Christ’s sacrifice for us. We must do what’s required in Ephesians 4:32 for Christ’s sake, not the sake of our comfort, not the sake of our feelings, not the sake of our tough reputation, not the sake of us not being played but because Christ went to great lengths for our forgiveness; we, too, must go to great lengths to be Christ-like and forgive our brothers and sisters their trespasses. This is what we are required to do. This helps us to help one another grow (be useful). This shows the world the true nature of Christ. This is a big part of taking Christianity seriously.

“. . .[L]et us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, . . .” (Hebrews 12:1).

Each of us has our own weights and a plaguing sin that keeps us from doing what God would have us to do. We always have to fight against these. But I believe that every Christian must fight against what prevents us from being good, fulfilling the commands in Ephesians 4:32. Giving in to ourselves only shows that we are operating for our own sake and not the sake of Christ and His kingdom. Our charge is to be good, to be like Christ, taking Christianity seriously so that others take Christianity seriously.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith