Ingredients are important! My daughter once attempted to make a cake with a cup of baking soda rather than a cup of flour. Needless to say the result was disappointing. Good relationships have several ingredients in the recipe. One ingredient that seems to come to the top of the list by many relationship experts is kindness. They suggest simple acts of kindness can build a strong fabric in a relationship.

Let’s start with a definition: Kindness – the tendency to be sympathetic and compassionate, an act that shows consideration and caring (Encarta Dictionary).

I’m sure we all can remember a simple kindness that meant a lot.  I was on a business trip, working in a coffee shop between appointments. The waiter went out of his way for me. All I bought was a cup coffee and a danish but I left him a $20 tip. Why? It was because that day his simple kindness touched me. (I have never left a $20 tip before or since.)

Today think of ways you could add kindness to the fabric of your relationships. Maybe it is an expression of appreciation through a simple thank you. Maybe it’s a helping hand. It could be small but thoughtful gift. Coffee or chocolate always works for me.

Question: How could you incorporate kindness into your day today?

Put today’s devotional into action right away with “19 Ways to Encourage Others”

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10)

Be intentional today to stand as one loved by God, with purpose and dignity. Reach out in kindness to someone today and feel His love flow to you and through you. God’s love, given generously through you, has a way of coming full circle back to you.

You have much to give! Stand tall! His grace will shelter you and protect you. His grace will fulfill you. His grace will enable you to step forward and not shrink back. His grace will enable you to give CARE even when you desperately want to receive care yourself. His grace is given to you in order to be given away. Let His grace flow to you and through you as you care in the ways He has made you to uniquely show His love. It will fill you up in an unexpected way.

Four ways to show C A R E today:

C – Compassion = concern, kindness, consideration.

As you go through your day today ask God to show you where and how you can show kindness, consideration and concern in a meaningful and simple way to someone on your pathway. When you feel the nudge, take the time to respond. Show consideration.

A – Appreciate

Show appreciation in an intentional and specific way to someone whom the Lord highlights on your radar screen today. Be genuinely appreciative. Say “thanks”.

R – Reach Out

Don’t wait for others to take the first step to greet, speak, say or do something. Be ready to reach out in the moment you become aware of the choice. Go first.

E – Encourage

It costs nothing to say a sincere and encouraging word. Be aware today that you have the power of life and death in your tongue. Bite your tongue when careless words want to spill out. Ask God to fill your mind and heart with His goodness toward others. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Use your words to build.

Prayer to help action CARE in your life:

Father God,

Today my heart yearns for love. To answer that yearning, please help me to extend CARE to those in my circle. Let me feel Your lavish love toward me today and help me to pass it out. May consideration, appreciation and encouragement mark my attitudes, words and actions today as I reach out with Your love. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Question: How are you going to show compassion, appreciation, reach out, and encourage someone today?

Some time ago, I was working on a dementia floor helping out some of the other nurses.

I remember holding this dear soul’s hands in mine as I walked backwards, facing her as she shuffled along. I had taken care of her before, but never heard her speak a word. She never gave any response when I spoke to her. The only response she ever gave was that occasionally, in the past, if she happened to touch my hand, she would grasp it and bring it to her lips and give it a tender kiss. It seemed that the only thing that mattered to her anymore was human contact and love.

What was she like before?

That evening, as I had her hands in mine, I pondered her life. Who was she in years past? Who did she love? Who were the ones who had loved her? Suddenly I was overwhelmed with a feeling that this woman was very, very precious to God. Although her life here on earth had been reduced to only a confused wandering, in God’s eyes she was absolutely precious. She was His treasure.

I remember gazing at my patient’s gnarled frail hands with a sense of awe – much like the first time I saw my children’s tiny fingers. I was honored to be able to take care of this woman in the closing days of her very long life. Little did I know that she would die just a few days later.

In our moments of frailty, Jesus is there

Ever since that day I have truly appreciated the tender moments of frailty I have witnessed with the elderly. Whether I am removing their stockings, helping them brush their teeth, or transporting them through the hall in a wheelchair, I am honored to have the opportunity to take care of people who are so precious to God Himself.

I remembered the love that I sensed that evening as I drew the picture at the top of this article. The man’s hands represent Jesus’ own, tenderly caring for the lives and hearts of the frail and needy. Several years have now passed since I drew this. As I have faced many difficult situations, I have often found myself gazing upon this picture and feeling much like this elderly woman: lost, confused, and alone.

My heart has cried in desperation for the Lord to hold my hands and lead me along so that I wouldn’t fall, even when my heart was trembling and I didn’t know which way to turn. But God, in His loving kindness, always hears the cries of His children, and His outstretched arms have led me through the darkest of times. He, too, hears your cries, and is ready to lead you through your seasons of weakness and confusion. No matter how insufficient our strength and vision prove to be, Jesus truly is the One who can bring us safely through the darkness. He will take care of you.

The image above is the work of Jeannette Inman.  Used with permission.

Take the next step:
Ahh! I’m getting old!
Are you living life to the full?
Do you need God’s care today? How can we pray for you?

“Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear – hating even the clothing stained by corrupt flesh.” (Jude 1:21-23)

Mercy – a beautiful word – means showing compassion, pardoning an offence, refraining from enforcing due punishment.

Jude reminds us of the incredible gift of mercy available through Jesus. Because God views Jesus’ perfect life and sacrificial death as payment for our sins, He has mercy on us and gives us eternal life.

Jude encourages us to remain in God’s love and gives us three instructions about mercy. He tells us to:

• wait for mercy
• be merciful to those who doubt
• show mercy mixed with fear

Wait for mercy – Though we have been saved through Jesus, we don’t experience the fullness of our salvation until we die or Christ returns. Here on earth, life brings trouble, sorrow and pain. Yet, we humbly look forward to the day when God will wipe away our tears and usher us into eternal life with Him.

Be merciful to those who doubt – Some people find it difficult to trust. Abandonment, abuse, rejection or betrayal, all provide ample reason for doubting. Be compassionate and gracious with everyone who doubts, just as Jesus shows mercy to you.

Show mercy mixed with fear – Continue to demonstrate God’s forbearance to any who are trapped in sin and bound by Satan’s lies, without condoning their behavior. Real fear reminds us how easily we also can be deceived.  As we follow these instructions on mercy, we will find ourselves moving ever closer to the likeness of Jesus.

Heavenly Father thank you that I can rest in Your love while I wait for Your mercy. Show me how to be merciful to others. Amen.

Questions: Where do you need to show mercy? How does remembering God’s mercy to you, help you be merciful to others?

“The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.” Psalm 145:8 (NKJV)

It happened again! I misplaced my keys. The morning was going well. I was ready to meet my day with plenty of time to spare … until I reached in my purse for my keys. They weren’t there! I searched the pocket of my jacket, emptied my purse, and looked on my table and kitchen counter. I checked my desk, my dresser, the couch. Had they slipped out of my pocket to the floor and then slipped under the bed? No.

They were nowhere to be found.

By now, I was no longer ahead of schedule. I went to the car to check there. Wait, I opened the house door so … let me check there. No keys. In desperation, I prayed, “God, You know everything. You know the hairs on my head and the words I will say before I say them. Surely You know where those keys are. I’m running late now, will You show me where they are?”

I walked back into the bedroom where I immediately laid eyes on the keys!

“Thank You Lord!” I prayed as I let out a sigh of relief.

As I headed to the door, I thought back. When I’d lost my ID badge, He’d shown me where to look. When I could not find a favorite jacket, He reminded me to check the trunk of the car where I’d tossed it after a recent outing. I’d misplaced a card, and He knew exactly where it was. Badge, card, keys, and coat … from time to time in my hurry I have misplaced things that are important to me. There was a list, yet each time He’d come to my aid.

As I gave thanks for His care, I was gently reminded. “Compassion.” Hmm. Oh. “Have I lost that too, Lord?” I asked.  I had been short with someone the day before, and had struggled with my response to a friend. “Lord, You’re right. Can You help me find compassion again too?”

I knew He could, and as I asked for His help, I began to look for opportunities once more to show compassion to several people in my part of the world. Within hours, I saw opportunity after opportunity to show compassion toward others – compassion that He’d reminded me of and had provided!

“The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.” Psalm 145:8 (NKJV)

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.”  1 Peter 3:8 (NKJV)

God, Thank You for Your gentle reminder. Help me depend on You moment by moment today to “find” what I need. Give me compassion for others and the courage to respond with compassion as I see needs. Amen.

“… But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” Matthew 23:1-12

Pride is deceptive. The proud person is often the last to know the contents of his or her own heart. Our self – importance makes us desire to be number one. Instead of working toward our personal best, which is required by God, we are determined to be better than anyone else.

To get to that top position, we will constantly point to ourselves as the best and look for praise and compliments from others. Often we choose to be around people who are important and well liked but tend to ignore those who are less admired. This is the opposite of how Jesus treated people. He gave the adulterous woman compassion but referred to the Pharisees as whitewashed coffins.

While we are chasing after prominence externally, our spirit becomes rebellious internally. We refuse to obey God because we believe we know better than He does.

To quell our disobedience and bring our pride under God’s control, we must first recognize specific parts of our life that are affected. When we confess those areas, we take the first step toward submission by turning our focus back onto God. We must continuously be on the alert for a prideful attitude. But we can stamp it out by remembering what God has done in our life and what He saved us from.

Pride will often cause us to compare ourselves with others. We can all find someone whom we can out – perform, out – dress, or outwit, but the one person with whom we should compare ourselves is Jesus – and we will find ourselves lacking every time.

Question: What sins does remaining humble prevent?

Ten ways to help your community today:

“Jesus saw two brothers…Jesus saw the crowds…Jesus saw their faith…Jesus saw the woman…”

When I worked in a downtown church office, it was only a two-block walk to favorite cafés and restaurants. At twelve noon I locked my office door, leaving the constant call of people and their needs temporarily behind.

However, between my office and the tantalizing aroma of  freshly brewed coffee and a sandwich on homemade bread with tantalizing ingredients, I passed the large city park. Its tall trees and green lawn invited me to a picnic table, but the lawn was usually filled with lounging high school students, most with tattooed arms and spiked hair. Behind the trees often lurked those same students—or unkempt and smelly street people—exchanging a joint or other illegal substance.

Intent on the one hour dedicated to me and my satisfaction, it was easy to avoid the park and its people. Keeping my eyes on the sidewalk before me or the coffee shop ahead, I could almost dream them away.

But no amount of avoidance or dreaming removed the reality. In the next day’s newspaper I would read of a teenager who overdosed. Or a street person’s body found down by the river.

Even Christians with dedicated “world vision” grow weary of the world’s needs. We quickly turn the magazine pages so as not to gaze too long on the sad face of yet another child with a cleft lip. When one more appeal envelope arrives in the mailbox, we’re tempted to toss it, unread, into the recycling bin.

Over sixty times in the New Testament we read the words “Jesus saw.” Most often these words refer not only to physical sight, but a perceiving with the mind or understanding. This is illustrated most vividly in these words: “When Jesus…saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them…”

Those of us who wear glasses regularly visit the optometrist for checkups. Frequently we need a new prescription in order to see more clearly. Perhaps we should all more regularly ask God if our spiritual vision is healthy. It is very likely we need the lenses of our hearts cleaned in order to see as Jesus saw. And then act with compassion as He did.

Questions: How would you see the world differently if you looked through the eyes of Jesus?

Related:
Do You Want To Feel Loved? 

Are there idols or addictions in your life?

“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14).

It is a word we hear often… in athletics, entertainment and there is even a television show dedicated to it. I refer to the word “idol.” The dictionary defines it as an image used as an object of worship, a false god, or one that is adored, often blindly or excessively.

Any object that becomes a focus of our lives can become our idol. Some things we may think are spiritually neutral really are not. Even things morally neutral, like our career, a sport or any passion other than for God can be our idol. Anything can become demonic when it gains first place in our life.

What is gaining first place in your life? If it is anything other than Jesus then you need to run from it, for it can lead you into dangerous territory. We are a fool to play with temptation, as none of us are strong enough to overcome sin on our own.

God wants to be first place in my life and that requires me to not let anything, even though good in its own right, to get between God and me. How serious are we to make God first? Are we willing to lay down our lives and good fortunes to lead our enemies to Christ? Do I do what is best for me rather than what is best for others?

How do I demonstrate that God is first in my life? I do it by being where I can best serve to the glory of God and I am closest to Jesus when I am selflessly serving others. Worshiping God is vertical. Serving others is horizontal.

Paul had some good advice to the Philippians when he said: “Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit, and you have kindness and compassion for one another. I urge you, then, to make me completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind. Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves, and look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own.”

Be careful of what you focus on, because your focus becomes your idol. Focus on having the mind of Christ and do as he would do and see what joy comes into your life. Idols are often soon forgotten, but life with Christ is forever.

Questions: Are there idols in your life? Do you do what is best for you rather than what is best for others?

Feeling impatient? Would you like us to pray with you about it? (Note: Please allow 1-2 days for a reply, an opportunity to practice patience!)

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12).

I was feeling put out; inconvenienced and impatient.

Thanks to those industrious criminals who’ve decided to manufacture their own medications, the singular antihistamine that effectively relieves my seasonal allergy symptoms is now available only behind the counter. I have to wait in line at one of the few pharmacies that still carry it. And I have to sign for it, too, presumably so I can be quickly apprehended should I purchase enough to use it in some criminal fashion.

Aside: I don’t even cook food. I’m not about to start cooking up medicine. Anyway …

There were two men in line in front of me. The first man, the one taking forever, was probably in his thirties or early forties. He wore loose jeans and a sweatshirt and occasionally turned back to smile apologetically as the clerk took her sweet time trying to get his insurance to go through. She seemed to know the man, or at least be familiar with him, and made polite conversation while trying multiple magic formulas. Finally, she asked for his wife’s social security number. He had to call his wife to get the number and after he got it, he kept talking to her, as though we had all day and night to stand there and wait. Her social security number didn’t work either so he told the clerk it was okay, he’d figure something out, but she insisted on continuing her efforts.

The fellow in front of me who was second in line, starting swaying and shifting his weight from foot to foot like a chained elephant, possibly with the idea that somebody might notice his obvious distress and open another register. It was right there – a register with nobody on it. Open it already.

I was asking myself how long I’d be willing to stand there when a second clerk appeared in the window next to the first clerk. She greeted the man in jeans and asked how he was doing, oblivious to the long line and the empty register where she clearly ought to be. Then she seemed to suddenly notice the man was bald.

“Hey, where’d your hair go?” she asked cheerfully.

“Well,” he said bashfully, “I didn’t want to have more hair than my wife … I shaved it.”

And right then, it was as though time stood still.

The talk continued. They discussed the man’s wife, her improvement and the oncologist’s advice.  And I wished I was invisible because if anybody happened to look, they would have seen such shame washing over me. I should be grateful that I have twenty minutes to spend standing in line, that I can stand at all, that I have enough money to buy medicine and insurance to pay for most of it.

Soon afterward, somebody opened a second register. They quickly helped the swaying man, and I was no longer in a hurry but they got me out of there in a jiffy. I’m home now, comfortable, fed, and medicated for allergies, but I can’t stop thinking about that man and his wife. I wonder if they have children and what their days are like.

Next time I’m stuck in line, I’ll pray for the people ahead of me instead of praying that they’ll hurry up.

Question: What causes you to feel impatient? Will you pray for patience in this area?