LOVE IS KIND!

Okay so this is the season when everybody (from the clueless to the virtuoso) is talking about love and planning to 'show' love to their special someone. Lol! I do not intend to go the way of justifying or ignoring the celebration of the globally-celebrated Valentine's Day. That is not the focus of this piece. I simply want to seize the opportunity that this season presents to share my thoughts on what is meant to be the focal point of this period: Love.

Sharing love. 

Showing love. 

Expressing love.

In 1 Cor. 13:4, God the One whose very nature is love, says:

"Love endures long and is patient and kind; 

love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, 

is not boastful or vainglorious, 

does not display itself haughtily."

This verse packs so much substance that literal volumes can be written out of it.

But I would like to lay emphasis on a little word in this scripture that tugs at my heart, every time. 

KIND.

KINDNESS.

See, Love is kind. 

Kindness is the nature and expression of love.

Even the most discerning person around knows that kindness is one virtue that is evidently absent in many so-called love relationships today. Be it the husband-wife marital relationship or the broad spectrum of pre-marital relationships that exist everywhere today or even the multifarious relationships in the work place, at home, in the church and indeed everywhere, kindness to fellow human beings is so painfully wanting. Or how else does one explain the actions of some people towards their 'loved ones' in so-called love relationships? How does one justify some actions or inactions deliberately targeted at the other person/persons, knowingly aimed at hurting, humiliating, embarrassing, harassing, subduing, destroying or even out rightly snuffing life out of them. If love is truly in place, kindness will characterize all of our dealings despite the prevailing situations.

I know that life happens. People hurt you.

People get unreasonable sometimes and even treat you unfairly every now and then. But the truth remains that whatever is not in you cannot come out of you no matter the pressure. If kindness is your standard and watchword, the misbehavior of the other person or persons will elicit only that out of you, despite the anger and disappointment you feel. You will be disappointed but you will not seek to hurt them in return. Kindness for the avoidance of doubt is all about being mild, lenient, humane, compassionate, considerate, amicable, amiable, clement, tolerant, understanding. Kindness will never deal a hand to another that it does not want dealt to it. Kindness chooses to allow God's way to supersede its own even if justified. Kindness will not seek to get even or retaliate, no matter what.

To a kind soul, an erring person needs the most compassion and treating them well despite what they deserve is the best way to bring about a positive change in them. Well now, let me don my pre-emptive hat at this juncture and give voice to someone's thoughts who is reading this: What if you are trying your best but the other person or persons take advantage of your kindness and treat you shabbily? What do you do when your kindness is not reciprocated in kind?

First, please hold this tightly in your heart as you continue on your journey in life: What you do to others should never be based on what they do to you but should rather be motivated by the truth and principles of the word of God that you know.

That way you will be consistent in treating people right despite how they treat you.

Secondly, Jesus said in Mathew 25:40 that whatsoever we do to the least of His brethren, it is Him we do it to! So that means that our judgement and reward for our actions towards others comes from Him, not them! He sees our actions and He will reward us accordingly despite what hand is being dealt us. Please go out of your way to show kindness to everyone not only now but always and especially your loved ones. And as you go about 'celebrating,' ask yourself honestly if what you are contemplating is kind, and if you would like the same thing to be done to you.

Do acts of kindness, even as little as helping out when the other person needs help.

Kindness is the best gift you can give to your loved one now and always, not just one day in a year! Every day should be lovers' day!

Let me wrap up with another verse of scripture that I love,

Ephesians 4:32

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

If you are truly walking in love, you will walk in kindness towards your object of love.

Deception will be far from you.

So will lying, cheating, selfishness and what have you. 

Love is kind.

Love is kind .

LOVE IS KIND!

Shalom.