“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” – Luke 6:32-36

Kindness is “the act or the state of being kind -ie. marked by goodness and charitable behavior, mild disposition, pleasantness, tenderness and concern for others.”

What is your motivation for being kind? In Luke 6, Jesus challenged his disciples saying, “if you do good to those who do you good, what benefit is that to you?”

We all know there are some people who are easier to express kindness to, but Jesus is talking about those who are more difficult to be around. And how do we treat those who have no ability to return the favor?

Even the kindest among us has trouble with some people and that why true kindness needs to begin with a change in our hearts.

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. – Ezekiel 36: 26-27

Is there someone we will see today that presents a difficult challenge? Let’s start by seeing what God can do inside of us and then respond to God’s kindness by how we interact with others.