by Pastor Mark Jordan
“Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32, NLT)
Today is World Kindness Day. To help mark the day, people are encouraged to wear their favorite cardigan sweater. I only have one, but I’ll don it in honor of a childhood hero who taught many what it means to be a good neighbor. As I think of Mr. Rogers in light of today’s verse, I think we can agree he lived in such a way as to model kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness.
The world could use more of the virtues in today’s verse. Do you agree? Think about how much different life could be if people lived with a commitment to kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness. The very fact that these virtues seem in such short supply is all the evidence we need that we need help.
Poet, Cleo Wade, once wrote, “To achieve a kinder world, we must approach kindness with ambition and dedication. We must practice it in every moment of our lives. Kindness is that important.”
Read that again, will you?
Cleo Wade’s point is it takes effort to achieve kindness. It takes a dedication to it, and an ambition we generally apply to more selfish endeavors. The results of kindness, however, are far-reaching, starting with yourself, and emanating well beyond your individual sphere of influence.
As you approach the new day, you have opportunities to show kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness. That last one, forgiveness, will likely take the most effort, but PLEASE, don’t let it dampen your dedication, or arrest your ambition, to show and sow kindness everywhere you go, and in all you say and do. Commit to kindness, and let it change the world…beginning with your own.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I commit my day to kindness. I thank you for the tenderness and forgiveness you show me, and feel convicted for the times I withhold that from others. Forgive me. I know that if I want to experience a kinder world, it must begin with me. By your help, empower me to experience and express it for all with whom I come I contact. I pray this in the kind name of Jesus. Amen.
