Live With Kindness!

March 19, 2026

Live With Kindness!

Our world seems a little short on kindness right now. 

The rhetoric on all fronts seems to be more antagonistic than humble, more aggressive than patient, more destructive than constructive, more uncompromising than seeking understanding, more vicious than merciful, more heartless than kind.

You can see the lack of basic kindness everywhere.  Not long ago, I stood in line at the grocery store.  A woman in her 80’s did not like the price on an item and just went off in a tirade on the checker.  The checker spoke softly and tried to calm the woman down by offering to re-scan the item.  Sadly, the woman would not let up; the anger and ugliness were so inappropriate!

Unfortunately, we see a lack of genuine kindness at the highest levels of government and in the upper levels of the corporate world and between nations seeking peace or economic parity.  We see a lack of kindness while driving on our streets, while waiting in line for a sporting event, and when someone falls short of the expectations of other people.        

I have noticed that when things are tough, a little kindness can bring great relief to the stress and strain as well as to the emotional and mental anguish.  A little kindness when someone has been struggling for a long season can relieve the disappointment and discouragement and desperation they feel.

As the Apostle Paul addresses the churches in first century Rome, he takes time to describe the marks of a Christ-follower.  In Romans 12:20 Paul writes; “Instead, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink, for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’”  Paul encourages the Christians in Rome to show practical acts of kindness to other people, especially those who they have labeled as their enemies.

This is a tall order for the Christ-followers in Rome.  Their “enemies” were persecuting them, imprisoning them, and torturing them because of their faith in Christ.  Their “enemies” were the Roman Emperor, government leaders, and those who implemented the demands of the Emperor.  Paul is telling the Christ-followers in Rome to show kindness to their enemies.

There are several places in the Bible where we are called to show kindness.

In Micah 6:8 we hear; “He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?”

In Zechariah 7:9 we hear; “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another…”

In Proverbs 21:21 we hear; “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life and honor.”

In Colossians 3:12 we hear; “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”

In Galatians 5:22 we hear; “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness…”

Take some time today to identify one person you believe needs to receive an act of kindness.  If this is a person who has hurt you in some way, all the better. 

+First, pray for them today asking the Lord to relieve their pain or their stress or their sadness or…

+Second, do a practical act of kindness for them sometime during the next week.  If possible, do the act of kindness without them knowing it was you. 

+Third, one week after you do the first act of kindness set aside a time to pray for them and then do a second act of kindness.  Then after another week has passed, pray for them again and do a third act of kindness.

We are called to live with kindness even when the people and the world around us are living in a different and often difficult way.  When we show kindness, the Holy Spirit will fill the other person’s life and your life with joy and praise and delight.    

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug