Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
Kindness.
It just makes you feel warm and fuzzy when you are on the receiving end of someone’s kindness.
Kindness, like when that special friend calls you out of the blue and makes your day by thinking of you. Or, when you get that card in the mail from someone letting you know that they were praying for you. Or, when the store clerk goes out of their way to help you find just the thing you were looking for, and they offer it to you for a discount!
Kindness is like a cup of fresh spring water – refreshing to the soul, providing relief from the thirst.
When was the last time you were kind to your husband? Strange question, huh?
But really, think about it — when was the last time you were purposefully kind when you could have reacted in any number of ways.
In Colossians, the Apostle Paul reminds us that we must “put on” kindness [among other things].
This “putting on” is associated with clothing ourselves.
What is it to clothe ourselves in the way that Paul is teaching?
Think about how you dress every morning. You throw your clothes up in the air and run under them and hope they land in the right places to cover yourself, right? Ridiculous!
Is this the way that we clothe ourselves spiritually? Sometimes, I think it is the way I clothe myself spiritually because on any given day I am lacking in one or all of the Fruit of the Spirit.
Why? Because I have chosen not to clothe myself God’s way.
Imagine what we would look like as wives if we carefully clothed ourselves everyday with kindness (and the other fruit of the Spirit). [Think bright lights, stunning angles highlighting our high fashion and a glow that comes from the Lord!]
Now, we cannot do this ourselves, ladies, for you see it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is the very Spirit of the living God that produces these fruit in us. We must be careful, though, in being intentional to let God’s Spirit work in us.
Being clothed then, in my view, biblically, is being intentional and careful to put on everything of Christ, everyday. To lay aside the soiled, stained, old, worn-out, wrinkled garments of my sinful nature and clothe myself in the beautiful garments of Christ (i.e., living in the Spirit).
Kindness shows the love of Christ to my husband in a tangible way that can turn a situation or everyday living into a refreshing spring of life for my marriage.
For the rest of the month, I am going to try to cultivate the habit of showing kindness in tangible ways to my husband and kids.
Give it some prayerful thought and maybe you too would like to make a fashion statement for your marriage and clothe yourselves in kindness for your family! As you practice kindness, please share with us your acts of kindness so that we can all be encouraged and even see what kindness can look like on our own marriages!
Kim♥
Well, I may be stepping on some toes here (my own, too) and I have heard numerous times that if I point a finger at anyone else there are three pointing at me. And this is not really about pointing at anyone, just pointing out the truth in love.
If we are truly walking in the Spirit, would that just flow out of us everywhere and to everyone. Isn’t this about the work the Lord does in me? It is about me laying down my flesh and allowing the Spirit to flow through me!
And if my marriage is my first ministry, would it not show up there most? The Lord is speaking to me about not allowing that flow to stop. To not allow the frustrations of the home to hinder the flow I see at church, ladies meetings and with my friends.
The big question!! What stops that flow? Is it my expectations? Is it my lack of patience with how the Lord is working in my husband and my children?
Inquiring minds need to know! I will be seeking the Lord about this. It is just too important not to.
sometimes a cyber hug or a card has MADE my whole day- lifted me from a place of hurt & fear into warmth & friendship- nothing changed in my circumstance but something definitely changed in my heart- i was loaned stregnth & love if you will.
I send my DH loads of messages in the day, shopping to get, timetables, updates, I have to start intentionally sending “kindness”.
wow awesome post Kim, you have have given me a solid nudge!!
Hugs, praying your day is bright today & you are blessed. xx …..now to sms the same to my DH.