Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Colossians 3:12–13 (ESV)

Have you ever noticed how many indignant and angry Christians live in the world? It seems a lot of them have blogs and are on Facebook and Twitter, too. Jesus consistently taught us another way and we need the power of the Holy Spirit to faithfully live it out. You see, the way of Jesus is the way of love, kindness, goodness, mercy, and compassion. Anger is a part of the human existence and it is impossible to never be enraged. How we choose to act when we are matters greatly. Read these verses and ask yourself how God would have you respond to others…

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor. Proverbs 21:21 (ESV)

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly  with your God. Micah 6:8 (NIV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:22–26 (ESV)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:4–10 (ESV)

I am so thankful for the love of Jesus to give His life for me. That reality can dispel anger, indignation, and self-righteousness. How would Jesus have you respond to others, today?

Truth: God is exceedingly kind to us and we should share that with others.

Question: How am I demonstrating kindness to those around me?