Author Mark Twain had many memorable sayings that are perhaps rooted in Biblical principles.

• “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”
• “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
• “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

One of my favorites is, “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Our families need more kindness. Our communities, our nation and the world needs more kindness! But how is that achieved? We will not get the answers if we look to society or academia. The one we must turn to is our Father in heaven as He reveals Himself in the Word.
One of God’s attributes is kindness. Nehemiah wrote, But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness (Nehemiah 9:17).
God’s kindness was revealed when he sent His only begotten Son to redeem mankind from the bondage of sin. God’s plan before the foundation of the world was, “in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:4; 2:7). Paul told Titus that when Jesus appeared in the flesh, he was the embodiment of the kindness and love of God our Savior (3:4).
The apostle Paul told Corinthian Christians that kindness goes hand-in-hand with other qualities, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” (1 Corinthians 13:4). To the Galatians he defined the fruit of the Spirit, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Galatians 5:22). If we Christians are to put on God-likeness, we too should be kind. Paul encouraged Christians at Colossea, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Colossians 3:12).
The apostle Peter gave a sequence of attributes which Christians should pursue, “…giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-9).
It is evident that God wants His children to be kind to all with whom they come in contact. But what if it is a rude person? Jesus said, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:44-45). He went on to explain why we should love our enemies, For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?  (Matthew 5:46-48).
I witnessed something rare a few years ago. At a doctor’s appointment, while waiting in a crowded lobby an older woman went to the desk and asked a young receptionist to give the doctor a sample of something. The young lady proceeded to launch into a tirade on how to properly bring a sample. She was loud and quite rude. The older woman went to her seat crying. The next day, however, was quite different. The older woman came in with a smile and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. She gave them to the receptionist that had been so unkind the day before. Everyone in the full lobby witnessed the kindness of a Christian woman, and it made a huge impact for the Lord. How do I know she was a Christian? She was my mother!
A kind word or gesture can diffuse an otherwise tense exchange or event between people. They can feel it in a soft touch and hear it with a gentle tone of voice. Mark Twain’s quote is so true! “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”

Today’s Verse: “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (Romans 12:10).

By Teresa Hampton