Choosing Kindness and Love

Today, I’m choosing to believe the best. Give the benefit of the doubt. Not assume. And, yes, especially to “be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, even as God, for Christ’s sake, forgave me.”


The noise all around us is deafening. In the midst of it all, what would happen if we chose over and over again, every moment, to love each other well and believe the best? Whether the other person thinks the way you think or lands on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, whether they act and react and conclude what you’ve concluded or not? Whether they make the same or the exact opposite choice? What if we took no offense? At all? What if we assumed they landed there based on careful and intelligent research instead of through ignorance or a failure, inability, or obstinate choice not to think it through?


What if we swallowed our own pride and stopped assuming we’re right? What if we actually stopped accusing one another of selfishness, fear, ignorance, and scolding, and instead embraced the fact that each one, in our own way, is doing our dead level best to respond rightly?


What if we remembered that each person was made in the image of the Creator? WHAT IF we remembered that this is not law but GRACE? We are free. What are we free from? What does not being under the law mean? We are free from the penalty of sin. Free from it’s slavery and servitude. Free to love each other and walk with Him because of Christ! Free to walk in the good works that He has prepared for us beforehand. Free from our own rebellion. Free to submit fully to Him. Free to REST in Him! Once His enemy, now seated at His table! I can’t wrap my head around the beauty and love revealed in that reality. 


The law was our teacher to bring us to Christ, to show us that we fall short of His glory, that we can’t be right with Him on our own. Under the law, we didn’t have the ability to obey. A dead person can’t do anything. That’s what we were. But those beautiful words: BUT GOD. Rich in mercy. Mercy! Because of His great love. He’s made us alive. Ephesians is my favorite. He has done soooooo much for us (chapters 1-3). 


What if, because Christ has called us to and equipped us to and strengthened us to and enabled us to, what if we actually, by His very real strength and enabling, chose to abide in Him today, walking alongside Him, walking worthy of our calling, in humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? Man. What if we as believers actually did that today? 


What an opportunity we’ve been given! Those of us who know Christ—wow. So many are open right now. Hurting. Frustrated. Angry. Confused. What would happen if we stepped into that opportunity instead of quietly judging from over here, making our passive agressive posts, alternately hiding in the closet when we can’t deal? Not that I would hide in my closet. Or anything. 


So that’s my great big challenge to you today. But really to myself. Let’s do the hard thing. Let’s choose humility, kindness, love, because we can. Because we are not under the law. Because we get to walk in the light of the Savior instead. This is me, taking a deep breath, and another, putting one foot in front of the other, doing the next right thing, having the courage to speak up when I’d rather run and hide. Putting my phone away for a while. My boys are writing essays and reading and playing and learning and growing, and I get to learn and grow alongside them, knowing that, because of grace, because of Christ, because of the Gospel, I can walk in the Spirit today and am not stuck fulfilling the lust of the flesh. 


I don’t have to be overwhelmed. I don’t have to fix anything or anyone, not even myself. He’s taking care of that, gently, lovingly, powerfully, faithfully. That’s way too many adverbs, but our human language simply falls short of articulating the wonder of our great God and the joy and rest and total freedom that are found only in Him. What does He require of us but to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him? Let’s love mercy today as we interact with one another, virtually, in the store, in our neighborhood, wherever we are, whatever opportunities we are given. 


“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” This verse has guided, rebuked, silenced, and emboldened me since I was a child. I’m so thankful for His Word. It’s alive and powerful, sharper than a double-edged sword, and (gulp) is able to discern our thoughts and motives. What if we deliberately chose words that nourish, edify, encourage, strengthen, build up, and lift our eyes to Him? And, when we don’t, because we won’t, because we’re sinners who still need the Savior every minute, what if we were quick to repent and enjoy our forgiveness and cleansing all over again, because He is faithful? 


Choose love today. Literally. Provoke one another to it. Encourage one another on purpose. And don’t ever stop. 

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