BE KIND TO YOUR SISTER - PART TWO

I know.. I know.. I told you when I wrote the opening to this series on NOVEMBER 20th.. that I was going to continue it   "TOMORROW"... and here it is almost two months later.  I cannot give you an excuse.. but my explanation is that LIFE got in the way.. and I was writing and speaking and going places to speak MORE THAN USUAL... the HOLIDAYS seemed to come early this year...and plus.to be honest.. I was still having moments of really, really, really, REALLY missing my parents.. who passed away in June and July of 2015.. and so.. well.. all that to say... I'm back and here we go.

Speaking of kindness and sisters and FAMILY... I will tell you that Mrs. Older has cousins who are just like sisters. My mom had four sisters. Our family was VERY CLOSE. Recently, I was invited to speak at a church in Florida.. and many of my cousins and their spouses have relocated there.  We had a "reunion" for a weekend.  And my cousins were so LOVING to me.. so CARING to me.. SO KIND to me..so CONCERNED about me.. that it healed me back to the joy of the Lord. I know that grieving is a process - and that I will have moments when it returns -  but they helped me make a QUANTUM leap to healing. Just with kindness and caring. Not sermons and teaching. KINDNESS and CARING.And because they were kind to me, I feel healed inside. And because I feel healed inside I am writing to you again.  See how KINDNESS.. SIMPLE KINDNESS.... can affect the lives of so many people?  Don't overlook or underrate KINDNESS....Because God does not.

The Apostle Paul was reminding the Christians in Rome,

"Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that His KINDNESS is intended to turn you from your sin?" (Romans 2:4 NLT)

Let's face it. We don't DESERVE God's kindness but He gives it anyway.   And what caused us to change our minds about Him.. and turn to Him?  HIS KINDNESS.  We know we deserve WRATH.. but it isn't HIS WRATH that causes us to turn to Him. It is the unbelievable truth that He LONGS to HAVE MERCY on me.. on you.. that makes us RUN to Him.  THE REASON we have what we have through Jesus is only BECAUSE GOD IS BEING KIND TO US.  And therefore, He expects us to show it to others.

"BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER JUST AS GOD, THROUGH CHRIST, HAS FORGIVEN YOU"  (Ephesians 4:32 NLT)

WHAT DOES KINDNESS LOOK LIKE? (Really?  You don't know?)
The words the Bible uses to describe "kindness" are words like mercy, compassion, goodness, tolerance, long-suffering.  Forgiveness.  Give to others what God has given to you. 

WHERE DO WE GET KINDNESS? (Really? You don't know?)

Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law."
We get it from the Holy Spirit.. allowing Him.. asking Him.. to change us from the inside out.  If you WANT kindness... real kindness.. SIMPLY ASK FOR IT. God wants us to resemble JESUS.  

And so.. let's begin our journey to resemble THE KING OF KINDNESS.  Our Lord.  Our Father. Our God. 

MOMS...FOR TODAY... I would like to remind you that your daughter... is ALSO your sister in the LORD.  BE KIND TO YOUR DAUGHTER. (your son.  your children).  The Lord has lent HIS daughter to you.  

She is HIS daughter before she is YOUR daughter. 

We can forget this in our day to day living.  We think WE OWN our children.. but.. we are simply caring for them for the One Who Owns Our Children. 

How are you treating God's daughter? (And God's sons) Are you harsh? Merciless? Angry? Annoyed? Disgusted? Disappointed?  Be kind to your children. Have mercy. Show compassion.  It's true that frustration and fear of the future and finances can cause us to justify being unkind to those little beings who live with us.. they are so powerless.. so at the mercy of mom..... but you are called to BE KIND to them.  BE KIND, Mom.  Watch what you say in anger. It is wounding those sensitive hearts.  Try it today.  When they come home from school.. or when they are getting on your nerves...

Don't beat yourself up if you have been less than kind to them. Don't fall in to condemnation. OH NO... Your heavenly Father loves you, HIS DAUGHTER.  Remember that you are HIS DAUGHTER before you are anyone's mom.  Anyone's wife. Anyone's daughter. Simply ask Him to instill His kindness in you.  Simply ask Him.  He isn't HARSH and DEMANDING. Oh NOOOOO.... 

He will do the changing if you will do the asking. 

 2 Timothy 2:24 reminds us: 

"A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people."

If you do a study of the Word of God, you will be surprised how many times.. and how many stories.. have their basis in simple kindness. 

If you are UNKIND.. ASK HIM to change you. You cannot change yourself. Only God can change a heart.

WIVES...FOR TODAY..  I would like to remind you that your husband is your brother in the Lord.  BE KIND TO YOUR HUSBAND.

This is long enough for today.

REMEMBER that I welcome your comments.  My email address is "awordtothewives@gmail.com"

ALSO... invite your friends to receive this via email.  At the upper right corner it says "Follow by Email" (I don't know if you can find that if you are reading on your cell phone.)

OK.. everyone have the KIND of day that being KIND will give you.

XO,
Mrs. Older