Living-loving like Jesus: Kindness, episode 130

1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,960
If you love a prodigal you can discover help and hope for your wilderness journey

2
00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:10,460
right here at the when you love a prodigal podcast and

3
00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,900
also help and hope for your own life journey as

4
00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:23,260
I mentioned last week we're starting the new year with a look at what God might want to do in our lives

5
00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:27,620
Through this prodigal journey. He's so efficient

6
00:00:27,620 --> 00:00:32,220
He uses things for a lot more than we think and

7
00:00:32,780 --> 00:00:37,240
If you've been listening to this podcast for very long, you've heard me say

8
00:00:38,060 --> 00:00:42,540
That God is just as committed to working in us as he is

9
00:00:43,140 --> 00:00:50,780
Working in our prodigals. He cares about our loved ones, but he also cares about us a

10
00:00:50,780 --> 00:00:57,820
Primary purpose he has is to make us more and more like Jesus

11
00:00:58,300 --> 00:01:06,140
Now I don't know about you, but I know that's been a long journey for me to really become more and more like Jesus

12
00:01:06,140 --> 00:01:07,640
And I'm not done

13
00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:15,100
And I'm grateful that God has given us a clear picture of what that might look like what he's working toward

14
00:01:15,860 --> 00:01:20,100
What we will be like as we become more like Jesus

15
00:01:20,100 --> 00:01:23,700
The Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3

16
00:01:24,900 --> 00:01:29,500
Therefore as God's chosen people holy and dearly loved

17
00:01:30,020 --> 00:01:32,020
close yourselves with

18
00:01:32,260 --> 00:01:33,820
compassion

19
00:01:33,820 --> 00:01:35,380
kindness

20
00:01:35,380 --> 00:01:37,100
humility

21
00:01:37,100 --> 00:01:39,100
gentleness and patience

22
00:01:40,100 --> 00:01:45,380
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any one of you has a grievance

23
00:01:46,460 --> 00:01:48,220
against someone

24
00:01:48,220 --> 00:01:51,380
forgive as the Lord forgave you and

25
00:01:52,100 --> 00:01:54,100
over all these virtues

26
00:01:54,660 --> 00:01:59,820
Put on love which binds them all together in perfect unity

27
00:02:00,260 --> 00:02:06,540
Last week we talked about compassion today. We're going to put on kindness

28
00:02:08,500 --> 00:02:13,620
Kindness seems all the rage these days at least outside of the political arena

29
00:02:13,620 --> 00:02:20,020
Random acts of kindness get designated days or even weeks of intention

30
00:02:20,700 --> 00:02:26,660
Videos showing how one kind act leads to another those videos go viral

31
00:02:27,700 --> 00:02:33,180
Stories on the goodness of one person that changes the life of another will garner

32
00:02:33,500 --> 00:02:37,140
Likes and hearts and shares on social media

33
00:02:37,740 --> 00:02:38,740
and

34
00:02:38,740 --> 00:02:42,380
The harsh uncertainty of today's violent world

35
00:02:42,380 --> 00:02:47,660
They create yearning for safety for peace for harmony

36
00:02:48,180 --> 00:02:50,180
We hunger for kindness

37
00:02:51,300 --> 00:02:53,300
For every child of God

38
00:02:53,980 --> 00:02:59,860
Kindness should be part of our daily wardrobe. It's what we should be wearing

39
00:03:01,220 --> 00:03:06,900
Colossians 3 12 reminds us therefore as God's chosen people

40
00:03:07,980 --> 00:03:10,500
Clothe yourself with kindness

41
00:03:10,500 --> 00:03:18,620
We crave stories like the coffee shop workers who sensed a drive-through customer's deep sadness

42
00:03:18,820 --> 00:03:24,340
They engaged her in conversation and discovered her husband had died the night before

43
00:03:25,220 --> 00:03:30,380
They reached out through the window and and held her and prayed for her

44
00:03:30,940 --> 00:03:35,260
We love those stories. Why do we love stories of kindness?

45
00:03:35,260 --> 00:03:40,780
Because our creator embedded such a desire in us

46
00:03:41,380 --> 00:03:46,980
We are made in his image and kindness is one of his attributes

47
00:03:47,460 --> 00:03:51,380
He is kind and he also wants us to be kind

48
00:03:52,140 --> 00:03:56,540
Consider these few of many encouragement from the word of God

49
00:03:57,620 --> 00:04:02,700
Our God is kind but let the one who boasts boast about this

50
00:04:02,700 --> 00:04:10,780
That they have the understanding to know me the Lord that I am the Lord who exercises

51
00:04:11,500 --> 00:04:17,140
Kindness justice and righteousness on earth for in these I delight

52
00:04:17,700 --> 00:04:23,860
When we let kindness flow through us to others God is delighted. I

53
00:04:25,020 --> 00:04:27,620
Love this picture of God's tenderness

54
00:04:27,620 --> 00:04:35,860
It says I fed them with cords of human kindness with ties of love to them

55
00:04:35,860 --> 00:04:43,260
I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek and I bent down to feed them

56
00:04:44,220 --> 00:04:50,900
God's saying I just want to care for you. I want to feed you whatever you need

57
00:04:51,620 --> 00:04:53,620
He tells us in Jeremiah

58
00:04:53,620 --> 00:05:00,420
That being kind is the way to draw us all people to himself

59
00:05:00,620 --> 00:05:07,060
He says I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with

60
00:05:07,980 --> 00:05:09,980
Unfailing kindness

61
00:05:10,180 --> 00:05:16,980
So for us he's drawing us closer to himself and the same will be true for our protocols

62
00:05:17,140 --> 00:05:19,860
He will draw them to himself

63
00:05:19,860 --> 00:05:27,940
Through our kindness because of his kindness and again he says in Romans 2

64
00:05:28,620 --> 00:05:34,700
Or do you show contempt for the riches of God's kindness his forbearance and patience?

65
00:05:35,140 --> 00:05:41,700
Not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance

66
00:05:42,980 --> 00:05:46,300
Christ is a gift of the father's kind heart

67
00:05:46,300 --> 00:05:50,500
In order that in the coming ages he might show the

68
00:05:51,140 --> 00:05:53,140
incomparable riches of his grace

69
00:05:53,620 --> 00:05:57,980
expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus and

70
00:05:59,860 --> 00:06:07,980
Entitus we read his loving kindness enabled our salvation at one time we too were foolish

71
00:06:09,100 --> 00:06:10,020
disobedient

72
00:06:10,020 --> 00:06:16,820
Deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures we lived in malice and envy

73
00:06:17,300 --> 00:06:19,300
Being hated and hating one another

74
00:06:19,980 --> 00:06:25,580
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared he saved us

75
00:06:26,020 --> 00:06:32,260
Not because of righteous things we had done but because of his mercy and kindness

76
00:06:33,820 --> 00:06:35,820
So what does kindness look like?

77
00:06:35,820 --> 00:06:43,980
Each of us can choose to be kind to do good for another to reach out and care when we see a need

78
00:06:44,580 --> 00:06:46,900
What might that kindness look like?

79
00:06:47,300 --> 00:06:51,540
So many possibilities if we keep our eyes and hearts open

80
00:06:52,380 --> 00:07:00,660
Recently at church I held a new mom's tiny baby through the service so she could focus on the message

81
00:07:00,660 --> 00:07:07,220
Another friend at church is still trying to discover who left a gift of money for her and her girls last week

82
00:07:07,540 --> 00:07:10,420
She is so grateful and wants to say thanks

83
00:07:12,180 --> 00:07:18,020
The couple who paid for a teen to go to rehab made a difference in the rest of his life

84
00:07:19,180 --> 00:07:25,620
A police officer took off his shoes and gave them to a barefoot homeless man on a cold day

85
00:07:25,620 --> 00:07:33,620
I loved when a man got out of his car to direct traffic so a mama duck and her ducklings could cross the street

86
00:07:34,620 --> 00:07:37,620
And so many many more

87
00:07:38,140 --> 00:07:46,340
You have done them when you see a need as I have and I have received such kind gestures many times

88
00:07:47,140 --> 00:07:52,140
But living it out in the rush and busyness of our lives is not easy

89
00:07:52,140 --> 00:08:00,620
Nor is practicing kindness with a prodigal who challenges us in many ways and often day after day

90
00:08:01,420 --> 00:08:04,420
Our God though has made it possible

91
00:08:05,620 --> 00:08:08,740
Kindness is part of the fruit of the spirit

92
00:08:09,740 --> 00:08:13,580
That Holy Spirit living in us filling us up

93
00:08:14,380 --> 00:08:18,380
Gives us all we need to live this impossible lifestyle

94
00:08:18,380 --> 00:08:21,380
A life marked by kindness

95
00:08:22,380 --> 00:08:27,380
What might kindness look like to our prodigals? Here are a few ideas

96
00:08:29,380 --> 00:08:36,380
Give them a ride to an activity important to them even without their having to ask

97
00:08:37,380 --> 00:08:40,380
Listen to them whatever they are saying

98
00:08:41,380 --> 00:08:44,380
Something good or something you don't agree with

99
00:08:44,380 --> 00:08:48,380
Complaints that they have just listen let them talk

100
00:08:49,380 --> 00:08:52,380
Involve them in decisions that affect them

101
00:08:53,380 --> 00:08:56,380
Like setting boundaries and consequences

102
00:08:57,380 --> 00:09:01,380
Praise them when they do something that merits praise

103
00:09:02,380 --> 00:09:06,380
Wash their clothes for them when that is their responsibility

104
00:09:07,380 --> 00:09:12,380
Invite them to family gatherings even when you think they are not

105
00:09:12,380 --> 00:09:14,380
Make sure they know they are welcome

106
00:09:15,380 --> 00:09:18,380
Sometimes you might even help them out financially

107
00:09:20,380 --> 00:09:26,380
I know some of these might seem inappropriate to you or even outrageous with your prodigal

108
00:09:27,380 --> 00:09:34,380
But sometimes we need to do something outrageous to convey kindness when there is real

109
00:09:34,380 --> 00:09:41,380
Estrangement from our wanderer but you aren't on your own

110
00:09:42,380 --> 00:09:46,380
Living and loving like Jesus wearing kindness as a way of life

111
00:09:47,380 --> 00:09:50,380
It's possible when we have Jesus in our lives

112
00:09:51,380 --> 00:09:57,380
The Holy Spirit lives in us and enables us to do what Jesus would do

113
00:09:57,380 --> 00:10:04,380
Kindness becomes a regular part of our wardrobe

114
00:10:05,380 --> 00:10:12,380
What about you? When have you been able to do a kind act to your loved one?

115
00:10:13,380 --> 00:10:17,380
Or what might you do today or tomorrow?

116
00:10:18,380 --> 00:10:21,380
Next week we will look at humility

117
00:10:21,380 --> 00:10:26,380
God bless you