Cultivating Kindness

Happy December sweet friends!

Today, let's talk about kindness. We are in the season of giving, the season where people are typically more kind than they are the rest of the year. Which is all good and fine, because if you are going to be kind and generous, Christmas is the time to do so. However, kindness isn't just something to do at Christmas. It isn't to be random, it isn't to be seasonal. Kindness is a result of the Holy Spirit living in us. If you are a believer, kindness should be a characteristic others see in you all year round.

Why should we be kind? How can we be kind when anger and injustice over take us?

When we are looking to cultivate kindness in our lives, the first and only place to look is at the kindness of the Father. He showed us the ultimate act of kindness. It was not random, it wasn't just for a season. The affects of His intentional kindness toward us still reverberate through the world to this day.

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Titus 3:4-6

The Christmas season is our reminder of how truly kind our Father is to us. As believers we receive that kindness, and through us God spreads His kindness even further. The kindness of our Father is our motivation, our reason, to spread kindness through the world.

In the story of Christmas (Luke 1-2) we read a story of a young virgin who gives birth to the Savior of the world. Shepherds, angels, wise men all come to celebrate. The repetition of this story can sometimes dull the powerful purpose behind it. God himself came to earth in the most vulnerable state (a small helpless baby), to live and grow up in the sinfulness and hardships of this world. Why? FOR US. He came with the sole purpose of dying a cruel and painful death, taking on the sin of all of creation. THIS my friends is true kindness. This is our example.

so friend, this season when you are struggling to bear the fruit of kindness to those around you because the weight of the world is too heavy, remember this:

He came to overcome the world and He DID.

He is the ultimate example of kindness and through His spirit kindness can radiate from you despite your circumstances.

Merry Christmas.