At my church, we are doing a summer series called “The Summer of Love”. Since it is all about love, the famous 1 Corinthians 13 was our subject text. Last week, we focused a part of 1 Corinthians 13:4, love is kind. (Click the photo above to watch the sermon video.)
After reading that love is KIND, we skipped over to 1 Corinthians 13:5 which talks about what love is NOT: It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Of course we have all heard these verses before. However, our Pastor said a couple of things that really made me think. He said that there are two categories of people that we are often unkind towards. People we don’t like or people who don’t like us, and the people we claim to love the most. Hmmmm.
I don’t find it hard at all to be kind to random people out in public. Excuse me, thank you, and a quick smile come really easy. I honestly don’t find it hard to be fairly kind to people whom I don’t feel like our personalities gel well. However, it is very difficult to be kind to people who don’t like me or have mistreated me. Yet, God challenges me to do just that.
For the people I love the most, well, they get to be around me all the time. The evil mornings Katina , the stressed out afternoons post work Katina , and the over scheduled life Katina. All of that “all the time-ness” sometimes leads to unkind Katina.
It is not that I set out to be unkind, it just kind-of happens–way more than I would like. During the sermon, our Pastor gave a reason for a great deal of our unkindness–busyness. Ouch!
Oh this is so true for me. I can get really snappy with my girls in the mornings when we are trying to get out of the door. I don’t wait as patiently in line at the store when I am already late on getting somewhere else. Being overbooked and over scheduled as I often seem to get, simply depletes me of all of my energy. When my energy is low, my temper tends to get high.
Since service on Sunday, I have made a very concentrated effort to work on my kindness. Kindness is a lot of work! I have been very cognizant of how I respond to my family and others. Divas, biting my tongue and watching my body language is almost a full time job! (LOL!)
Recognizing the connection between busyness and kindness has been a light bulb moment for me.
How can you work on your kindness this week?
This post is part of a weekly Meme “Pour Your Heart Out” Click the photo below to read other folks’ hearts:
Oh, I feel guilty right now. It is easy to be kind to some people… and harder with others.
What a great post. I am so there with you. I think it is hardest to be kind to the poeple we are closest to. I need to be kinder to so many people. Again thanks again for the post.
~Kimberlee
http://www.TheSpunkyDiva.com
Oh! So true! I am guilty of the same thing.
well Katina, it IS the name of one of my blogs – so if I didn't practice love every single day – well then I chose my blog title poorly. But I do. I heart love! And busyness does make for less kindness – so, so true. I think sometimes we're not as nice to the ones who love us because we know they won't go anywhere if we are less than nice. The ones where afraid might leave – those are the ones that get the niceness – too bad though. Anyway, I hearted this, lots! Thank you Katina, and God bless and keep you and all of yours.