Building Character – Kindness
Years ago I started a prayer group – “Destinies”…. it was a group of praying mothers praying for the destinies of their children. It was a group of mothers that KNEW that there was a much bigger call to each child then JUST BEING A NICE CHRISTIAN AND GOING TO CHURCH!!! We knew that we had this incredible, impressionable, magnanimous responsibility of getting our children where GOD ORDAINED THEM TO BE!! Each child has a destiny….one God has pre-destined before they were even born!! It is our job to PRAY them there and TRAIN THEM to get there!!!
Think about this, while your children grow and begin to participate in activities…it is OUR JOB to get them where they need to be!! It’s OUR RESPONSIBILITY. If they have practice at 5:00, well, then it is our responsibility to arrange the schedule to get them there. If they have certain attire they have to be in or practice in then it is our responsibility to get those things for them. Their little (and big) lives depend on us…. and the same is true spiritually speaking! We have been given the privilege of raising up GOD’S CHILDREN whom He has so graciously and lovingly ALLOWED us to do on His behalf!! They are HIS kids that he is letting us love and care for…but they are HIS FIRST!!! So, we have this HUGE responsibility and one that many christian parents are failing at!! We are suppose to be raising them up in the “admonition of the Lord”. Admonition is defined as authoritative counsel or warning!! What is the “counsel” of the Lord?? It is guidance, direction, information about God and His character. With that said, let’s take a look at the fifth Fruit of the Spirit – kindness.
Kindness SHOULD be a no-brainer!! It should go without saying! It’s Christianity 101!!! BE NICE!!! Doesn’t seem that tough….but apparently it is because we have a lot of NOT-SO-NICE CHRISTIANS!! Unfortunately, the lack of kindness is ruining the witness of Christianity! True Christians that resemble their heavenly Father should permeate KINDNESS!! A simple act of kindness should be something that just follows us as believers! It should be WHO WE ARE because it’s WHO HE IS! Let’s remember, the Fruit of the Spirit is the character of God!! SOOOO, with that understood….maybe introduce your children to the story of “The good Samaritan”!! (Luke 10:25-37)! Help them understand that the Samaritan man (though was a despised man of a mongrel race and polluted religion) was the man that Jesus commended because it was him that reached out in genuine kindness!! Teach them to always SEE the opportunity to reach out in kindness. Have them practice this so it becomes who they are!! Help them understand they represent our Lord Jesus and they walk in HIS character!! Remember, Kindness is a simple act, but speaks volumes to others!! Let’s be like the Samaritan who acted as Jesus would have!! After all, aren’t we suppose to resemble our Father??
