Scriptural Reading: Luke 6:34-36

‘‘Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.’’  Acts 14:17 (KJV)

My father told me that my late grandpa was a member of the African Church and a business merchant. His kindness to people was unparallel. As a growing child, I grew up to meet the long table in the house where people came to eat for free, especially bread and sardine. When the Catholic Mission visited my home town, Ikweghwu-Agbarho, Delta State, Nigeria and they needed land to build the Catholic Church; my father was the only person who gave out one of his lands free of charge to the Catholic mission to build. God gave my late grandpa another level of grace by putting him on a sick bed. On his sick bed, he was prayed for, administered the Holy Communion and he eventually passed on. To die on a sick bed is another level of grace, as one is praying for his or herself, family and friends are praying for the individual and the church is praying as well, and one has enough time to reconcile and to negotiate with God. God knows how to deliver and to save the kind-hearted from destruction.

Kindness should not be based on emotions and with strings attached. As we render it to humankind, we have to see it as a noble service to our ultimate creator. In this, God is well pleased. If we render kindness to people we know only, then it yields no divine profit. Extending hands of fellowship to others in the area of doing good, lending to people and sending portions to those who do not have, puts our names in divine records and whatever we do on earth echoes in eternity.

God is full of tender mercies and loving-kindness, and Jesus is a good example of a father who went about doing good (Acts 10: 38) and the scripture has told us to follow the steps of Jesus in I Peter 2:21. God Almighty wants us to be kind to people, irrespective of colour or creed. A dollar today can save the needy and $5 tomorrow can put food on the table of the hungry. As the church is our second estate, we can take care of our pastor who is labouring for us in prayers day and night and to remember him in all that we do. The kind-hearted are also friends of Jesus.

Friends of God, do we know that kindness is also one of the natures of God Almighty? Here is an anchor scripture we can hold on to and apply. Jeremiah 9:24 (KJV) ‘‘But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. ’’ Kindness attracts divine friendship.

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, open my eyes to the things of the spirit and teach me the way of kindness so that I can invest in the lives of people positively. Amen

The beauty and silver bullets of kindness are in the business of doing good and raising hopes.                                   

                                                                                                                                  -The Writer-

OGBAJIBREDE Onome is an Evangelist and a Devotional Writer who inspires and encourages people to come closer to God. His Devotional has featured on Exploits Christian Magazine. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution and can be contacted via [email protected]