Devotionals for the Heart: Kindness

Kindness is only from the Lord
A devotional by Allison M. Wilson

Key Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) and 1 John 4:15-21 (NASB)

We’ve looked at the first four Fruit of the Spirit to see that it is not a random list of attributes. There is a distinct order to the fruit that are listed. Once the love of God is shown and accepted there is joy inexpressible, which leads to peace with knowing the Father is in total control of everything, then we can be patient with the timing of the outcome. Kindness, however, is a direct outflow of ALL of these other fruit.

We are loved because He first loved us. If you read the whole passage where this verse is found, you realize that love starts everything. Love casts out fear. What an amazingly powerful thing! Love is what kindness is rooted in, because you have to have a love of God to even be kind at all.

We cannot hate our brother or sister and still love God. Hate has no place in the heart surrendered to Him. I’ve watched so many believers tear each other apart, and been brokenhearted at what the Father must feel to see His children acting that way towards one another. Someone from another denomination may be the joke or the brunt of a sarcastic comment. That is not the kindness the Holy Spirit wishes to give through us to other believers, let alone a dying world.

I have had people lie to me, talk slanderously about me, and even curse me to my face. Earlier in my life, I likely would have gotten right back in their face and given them something to think about. Now? Now I let the Father tell me what I should say…most of the time…okay, maybe some of the time.

Our fruit is not just for ourselves. In fact, I would dare to say it’s not for us at all! It is to be shown to hurting people God puts into our paths, whether they are blood brothers/sisters in Christ or not. We, as the church, look so much like the world. We treat others with disrespect when we feel disrespected. We “don’t deserve to be treated that way,” and then demand better treatment. There are times to speak up – that is true – but how many times has the Lord told you to do so versus your flesh? How kind were you in the moment when you spoke up?

I’m a pretty direct person. I say what I mean and mean what I say. My husband likes to tell people that everyone knows where they stand with me, and I don’t see that as a bad thing. Only because I allow the kindness of God to be what speaks first. Not all the time, like I wish I would, but I’m hoping it’s more times than not. There is no doubt where I stand on things. I have my beliefs. I can tell you why I believe them according to the Word of God. I don’t apologize for those beliefs. However, I don’t treat others badly if they don’t agree. Anger and contempt never won anyone to another’s side of an issue. How can I expect someone to want to know Christ if malice and hatred are what I give them?

I’ve heard it said that kindness is free. No, it’s not. Kindness still requires a dying to self. It’s easy to be kind when others are doing the same. It is Godly to be kind when they are not kind to you. That fruit has to be something the Spirit does in you. We are not kind by human nature…not one of us. Thank God that He is not done with us, yet!

My Prayer: Dear God (Heavenly Daddy), My human side wants to be respected. I want to have others treat me well. They don’t always do that, but You call me to something greater still. You call me to be kind, as Your Son was kind, even as they tried Him, flogged Him, and crucified Him. He spoke no unkind words through it all. Make me more like Him. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

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Author Bio:
A very early reader and lover of the written word, Allison M. Wilson has been writing since the age of 8 with the heart to impart stories and God's truth. 

She has judged countless contests for the last 25 years, reviewed for several online publications, professionally edited, and written articles and devotionals.

Wife, mother, writer, editor, teacher, mentor, and mompreneur, God keeps her busy while living in east central Florida with her family.

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Connect with Allison:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonmwilson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amwilson

Summer Stories: Proverbs 31 Woman

Pride, Despair, or Surrender?
A guest post by Autumn Macarthur

Have you ever compared yourself to other people then felt inadequate or second-best? I admit I have! far too many times than I should.

Other girls at school, especially the ones who had the coveted 36 color pencil set in the metal box when I had the cheapest possible set of 12 in a cardboard box. And the ones who could speak and sing in front of the class when I was painfully shy and choked up every time.

Then there was my sister, so much prettier, with beautiful long black hair and darker skin, while I had gingery hair and freckles. So much more talented at things I had zero talent for, like drawing.

In my teens, comparing went into overdrive. Who was prettier? (Nearly everyone - I had terrible spots!). Who had more friends? Who did the boy I was crushing on like better than me? Becoming a Christian didn't change the comparisons, just changed the things I compared. Who had read more of the Bible? Who was the better witness? Which camp counselors brought more of their cabins to know Christ?

Though I grew out of the spots, I didn't grow out of the comparing!

But comparing ourselves with others carries risks. It can lead to jealousy or despair. Judging ourselves harshly, we can give up even trying. Or we may think we're doing so much better than those we compare ourselves to, giving an unhealthy sense of pride and complacency.

Neither is what God intends for us!

Comparing can be a positive thing, done right. Having role models further along the journey than we are can teach us. As an author, I learn so much from the way more successful authors do things. As a Christian, I learn so much from other Christians who are bearing spiritual fruit in their lives. We can celebrate others’ successes, rather than feeling less than.

In my story Imperfectly Proverbs 31, Samantha Rose has a big issue with comparisons. All her life, she's compared herself to her mother and sister, both gifted homemakers and Proverbs 31 women. Unlike her, who flunked Homemaking 101. She's given up on trying to cook or keep house. That's why God invented pizza places, right? And a tomboy like her working in IT doesn't need homemaking skills, anyway.

Until she's forced into homemaking when she agrees to care for her sister's five-year-old twins for the summer!

Suddenly, Sam needs a crash course in cooking. But more than learning how to bake the perfect pie, Sam needs to learn that God has given us different abilities for a purpose. She isn't less-than because she has talents in some areas but not in others. In His eyes, we're all equal. Equally valued, equally loved.

She needs to learn a real Proverbs 31 woman isn’t a woman who excels at everything. She’s a woman who says "Yes" to God.

Any time we find ourselves comparing, we can hand any unhelpful emotions over to Him, trusting that He has a loving plan and purpose for every single one of us. He created us as we are for a reason. And His reasons are always good, even when we can’t quite understand them yet!

Read Psalm 139:13-14 (The Voice):

For You shaped me, inside and out.

You knitted me together in my mother’s womb long before I took my first breath.

I will offer You my grateful heart, for I am Your unique creation, 

filled with wonder and awe.

You have approached even the smallest details with excellence.

Your works are wonderful; I carry this knowledge deep within my soul.

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Author Bio:

Autumn Macarthur is a USA Today bestselling author of clean Christian inspirational romances with a strong touch of faith. If you love happy-ever-afters, sweet romance, and Hallmark movies, chances are you’ll enjoy her stories!

Originally from Sydney, Australia, she now lives in a small town not far from London, England, with her very English husband (aka The Cat Magnet), and way too many rescue cats for their tiny house! 

A recent addition to the family are two guinea pigs. For such small creatures, they have amazingly huge personalities.

When she’s not feeding cats, she hand sews, reads, and most of all she writes heartwarming stories of love and faith. With every story, God teaches her the exact same lessons her hero and heroine need to learn to commit to their forever love.

She’s also blessed with a chronic health issue that has changed her life in the way it limits her. It hasn’t been easy, but she’s come to give thanks for the gift hidden in the illness — the way it’s taught her patience, brought her into a greater dependence on God and given her a far deeper appreciation of His love and provision.

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Book Blurb for Imperfectly Proverbs 31:

To help her archeologist sister, geeky Samantha Rose agrees to swap her black T-shirts and diet of pizza and ice-cream for a pretty apron and a summer caring for her adorable twin nieces and their Newfoundland dog in Huckleberry Lake, Idaho. How hard can it be?

When Perfectly Proverbs 31, the blog she starts to reassure her sister, unexpectedly goes viral and everyone believes she really is a wonderful homemaker, Sam reluctantly needs to keep up the pretense. If she doesn’t, she risks ruining everyone’s summer. The girls’ over-protective grandma will surely swoop in to take them away from her.

Forced by his boss to interview Sam then take a vacation, a month at the lake with nothing to do but write a fluff piece is burned-out city crime journalist Daniel Novak’s worst nightmare. But he finds her surprising and delightful, as her attempts to impress him with a picnic go horribly wrong. Time with Sam could restore his lost faith in people — and in God.

Can Ms. Klutz-in-the-Kitchen transform herself into a Proverbs 31 woman in time to stop him from revealing the truth about her blog? And what will happen to their growing love when he does?

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Buy Autumn's book on Amazon

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Connect with Autumn:
Website/ blog: http://faithhopeandheartwarming.com
Mailing list sign up: http://faithhopeandheartwarming.com/sign-up-here-3/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/autumnmacarthur
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AutumnMacarthurinspirationalromance
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/autumnmacarthur
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8522441.Autumn_Macarthur
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/autumn-macarthur

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