AGAPE KINDNESS
I want to be happier and healthier. I practice kindness.
Studies on kindness show that kind people are:
- more optimistic, happier, feel better,
- have more energy, are less lonely, less depressed,
- calmer and more relaxed, have better weight control,
- better sleep, stronger immunity to disease,
- reduced pain, improved circulation, healthier heart,
- and recover faster from surgery.
Even when kindness was practiced as an “assignment” given to random samples of people, their levels of overall health and happiness measurably increased.
It’s amazing how much my welfare is up to me.
Are you ready for an assignment of your own? “Do to others as we would have them do to you” Matt 7:12. Want to be happier? Practice kindness.
The key principle of agape is that it’s unconditional. It isn’t earned. It can’t be earned. The greatest Love is that given in the face of the greatest hate. The greatest Kindness is that given in the face of the greatest unkindness. We agape because the Lord first agape’d us – period (1 Jn 4:19.) We are Kind because the Lord was first Kind to us.
Contrary to the world’s economy, in the Kingdom of Heaven, giving Kindness IS the reward, just as giving Love IS the reward. “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” Acts 20:35. The greater the giving, the greater the reward.
Kindness in me flows from His Kindness to me.
Eph 4:30-32 gives a great description of Agape Kindness: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Lack of kindness shows that there are areas blocking Holy Spirit in you as Eph 4:30 above warns: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…” before warning against unkindness and commanding kindness, so…
Which would I rather have? Bitterness or an empowered, cleansed soul?
The bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander that the Lord warned of in Eph 4, above, block Holy Spirit.
- Bitterness holds onto anger – blocking Holy Spirit.
- Wrath wants revenge – blocking Spirit.
- Anger blocks righteousness – blocking Spirit.
- Clamor creates an uproar to get something – blocking Spirit.
- Slander tries to harm someone’s reputation – blocking Spirt.
Which would you rather have?
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” Galatians 6:7.
I choose the Kingdom of Heaven.
When you are tempted to be unkind, remember: Forgiveness is the greatest Kindness of all: “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy…” Titus 3:4-5. It is the Lord’s merciful Kindness to heal our soul and adopt us as His own. His Kindness is our healing and our Kindness is His healing reaching out to others – through us.
There is no one I will ever lock eyes with that the Lord isn’t completely Loving and Kind to.
Think of “them.” You know who they are in your life – the ones that have really, really hard to be kind to.
What if you imagine Jesus looking into their eyes with Love when you look into their eyes?
What if you imagine Jesus loving them and imagine the Kindness He would want to show to them?
Maybe Jesus Himself has been attacked and slandered by them, and they’ve done the same to you too? But He looks into their eyes and heart with Agape Kindness. As He lives in and through you, can you not seek to climb to the heights of doing the same?
GPS Calibration Key: Turning control over to God is the constant invitation of Holy Spirit.
But the fleshly side of our souls are not comfortable turning control over to God. So when your GPS (God Positioning System) is signaling to turn back onto Agape Trail, you realize that sinful thoughts, feelings and desires are wrestling control. Stop and let your awareness invite you back to the Lord and His Fruit.
Choose to say, “I’m NOT powerless! I am better than that.
I am a person with dignity. I answer wrong with right, hatred with love.
I CHOOSE to treat others how I would like to be treated.”
Try it: “I’m NOT powerless! I am better than that. I am a person with dignity. I answer wrong with right, hatred with love. I CHOOSE to treat others how I would like to be treated.”
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you” and “Let all that you do be done with agape” Eph 4:31, 1 Cor 16:14. If your heart is tender and forgiving, you are capable of receiving the Agape Kindness of God and share it with others.
Counterfeit Kindness
Is there anyone you can think of as MORE tender-hearted, kind or loving than Jesus? As perfect Kindness, speaking perfect Truth in Love, Jesus still had many see Him as an uncomfortable, dangerous, meddling deceiver. Does Kindness require that we agree? No. Many did not agree with Jesus. Does it require that no one feel bad or offended? No. Many felt bad about Jesus!
Is a definition of kindness that says you must “agree with me and not make me feel bad” biblically accurate? Of course not. Such a definition requires a compromise, kindness doesn’t. Counterfeit kindness masquerades as wanting the best for everyone. But such a definition may actually reject true Kindness and prevent true Kindness from actually serving the good of people.
If we think of the long term potential for planting good seed in hearts and minds, we must, with tender hearted Kindness, share Truth in Love. Its in times like these that we must remind ourselves that the greatest Kindness is given to unkindness. It’s amazing how much our welfare is up to us. Choose Kindness anyway!
PRACTICE:
To choose to “have Life, and have it abundantly” John 10:10, we must search: “is my heart hardened?” Where? To whom?
Apply Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, and Kindness to that place, remembering that forgiveness is the greatest kindness, to yourself and others. If you’re having difficulty practicing kindness, your GPS (God Positioning System) has identified a place in your soul that is hardened and you’re not on Agape Path.
Take time each day this week to work on this. It will feel very freeing.
Practice saying: “I’m NOT powerless! I am better than that. I am a person with dignity. I answer wrong with right, hatred with love. I CHOOSE to treat others how I would like to be treated.”
