Sermonette: Be Kind
#1807s
James C. Stoertz
Given 08-Mar-25; 15 minutes
description: (hide) The seemingly benign advice to "Be Nice" falls short of a truly virtuous approach to life. It is currently associated with pleasant but superficial behavior. It is an appeal to conscience, a call to simply follow one's inner sense of right and wrong. On the other hand, kindness, as presented in the Bible, involves concrete actions that reflect a deep love and concern for others. It is a willingness to go beyond what is merely expected or convenient. God's called-out saints must inculcate the biblical principles of doing the right thing, including, 1.) not expecting reciprocity for giving to others (Luke 6:32-35), 2.) doing the right thing because it is written on our heart and because God expects us to, and 3.) learning to experiencing joy by giving of ourselves, realizing that God also will be pleased with our behavior (Hebrews 13:16). By embracing these biblical principles, we make "being kind" a habit, producing abundant joy.