What the Lord is having me speak on today is lovingkindness. Some of you have family visiting. I have family who came for three weeks but I want to tell you she's good company, she's the best mother in law. A lot of you get to complain about your mother in law, I get to brag on mine because I have the best mother in law in the whole world. Mary Lou Davis is right there in the back sitting next to my wife, would you welcome her here this morning? She's had nine kids. How many believe she's earned some sainthood?
Romans Chapter 12:10, " Be kindly affectionate toward one another with brotherly love and honor giving preference to one another".
Heavenly Father we thank you for your word. May we decrease today and may you increase and may it have it's perfect work in our lives today. Jesus, may we be more like you by the time this day is ended. Amen
Liberty Mutual did a series of commercials that were some of the coolest commercials I think I've ever seen, not that I'm really advertising Liberty Mutual but I really like the commercials. It started out where a lady was walking across the street and stopped at a stop light and some guy with headphones on delivering pizzas was ready to step off a curve and get hit by a car and the lady puts out her arm and prevents the guy from getting hit by a car. So he remembers that and as he's walking into a store he sees a lady that has dropped something and he picks it up and puts it in her cart. Another guy saw that and saw someone who was trying to get into a parking space and instead of taking the space himself he waved them in.
Really it became a series of events where one person saw what another person did and they really began to be nice to others. I remember when I was sitting there watching it and I don't know what came over me but as I was watching that commercial a tear came to my eye. You know really, responsibility starts with just one person doing something nice. How many of you have found that it just takes one little thing to make all the difference in someone's day? All of us have had that done to us. I thought that it was about time that some commercial wasn't just trying to sell their product but was actually trying to put a little something else into society. I really enjoyed that.
The truth is you don't have to be a Christian to realize the impact of kindness, what it does to people's lives, what it means to people. As a Christian it's supposed to be a part of our character, we're supposed to be kind. My prayer at Harvest Community Church is that people will not only say that it's a nice church and the people love Jesus but I pray that when they look at us they will think about the kindness of Jesus, they will see that in every one of our lives. It's supposed to be a part of our character, the results of the love of Christ being displayed everyday and really as a normal everyday part of life even when we're in a bad mood. How many of you are thankful for the things people have poured into your life?
The Bible says in Proverbs 19:22, that what is desired in a man is kindness.
What is desired in a man more than anything else, more than skill, more than talent, is lovingkindness. How many of you have ever met really talented and smart people who were so prideful that when you walked away from them you felt like you would trade all their talent if they would just act like a normal human being. May that never be said of those who are Christians.
Kindness is simply putting others ahead of ourselves, loving and caring in special ways, even in small ways. Kindness is the opposite of being selfish, being self centered. Maybe this Thanksgiving one of the greatest ways that you could be kind to someone is to invite someone to dinner who you know is alone. How many know that throughout Florida there are many people who have moved here and their families are not here. So if you're going to have a nice big turkey and a few leftovers, how many know that you can stand to do without another turkey sandwich and you could invite someone to dinner?
In our lives some of the greatest times we've had in our home is either when someone has invited us when we were in need or when we've been able to invite others into our family and make room around the table and say, "We love you and care about you and you're not intruding on our time or in our place, just so glad to have you as a part". We live in a selfish time. People are moved to tears when they see a random act of kindness.
You've heard me tell this story many times about when I've been at that Publix in Abacoa and I want to tell you everytime I go there I need to get saved all over again. But there are times when throughout that store where their are many selfish and inconsiderate people that there always seems to be at least one person, just one who will do something nice. On more than one occasion I've stopped what I was doing and walked over to that person and said, "Listen, I know you don't know me and I don't mean to scare you but I saw what you did and I want to tell you what a blessing that made in my life because I've watched about 5 other people just be real ignorant to a lot of others around this place".
As a matter of fact, selfishness is so commonplace, so many people looking out for number one that if you start to look around the world right now there is kind of a kindness revolution that is hitting society. It's becoming noticeable more and more as people are understanding that they've been so involved with themselves. You can hear it as you listen to the news or on different tv programs or listen on the radio or watch people, there is a revolution of kindness taking place. It is my belief that Christians should be at the forefront of that revolution. Lovingkindness is a primary attribute of God. You say, "Well pastor, you're not telling me anything I don't already know today". I want you to hear that again, lovingkindness is a primary attribute of the God that we serve. I want to speak this to the church because each day we're to be more like Jesus. To be a Christian means we're to be more and more like the Lord. My prayer is that we will live in that.
Psalms 117:2 says, "For his merciful kindness is great towards us". It's wonderful, his lovingkindness. We know that God is a God of love, we even know that God is good because he's a righteous God, but his goodness because he's a good God is expressed in his kindness to us. How many know the day we accepted Jesus in our heart as our Savior that we became the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus? How do we express that righteousness in our life? How do we express God's goodness in us? Really and simply through our kindness to others.
One of the reasons we can express the kindness of God to others is because we know the difference that his touch has made during our tender moments. How many of you have been through hard times this year? Now I want to ask you, how many of those who have gone through the hard times even when you've just been wailing in your heart and life has been so difficult, so bad, and you felt like you were going to get more of the same from God but all of a sudden God just surprised you with such a gentle word in your heart? How many of you have experienced that this year?
On Thursday's when I sit at my table and I sit at my table alot, I remember
Thanksgiving used to be a time when I was growing up with the cousins and all and now more and more when I sit I become so aware especially at those moments of how good God has been. When I begin to cut into that feast and I sit next to my family and I realize that I am blessed even in those hard times and that place at the table becomes a very spiritual moment. I don't say this so that you feel mushy and you say, "Well, he's a preacher, everything is supposed to be kind of mushy that way". How many know after we've said the prayer and we've thanked the Lord someone is ready to toss mashed potatoes at someone? You know what I'm saying but the truth is this, God has been so wonderful to each and every one of us.
When we've felt vulnerable and we've been afraid, when we've messed up, the kindness of God has been so great toward us. I believe that one of the things that God is doing within the body of Christ again because remember for a long time the body of Christ has been hard, instead of being more Christlike there has been this thing of really becoming less like Christ. It's almost been like this attitude of how close can we walk to the line and still be a Christian? It's been kind of uncool to be really righteous and good but there's this revolution that's taking place within the body of Christ. How many of you have recognized it? There really is becoming a difference between those who are more like the Lord and those who are not. One of the things that I find as people begin to surrender their heart more and more to the Lord, something softens inside of them towards others because they've recognized how God has touched their own life.
We sang an old song, " He touched me and oh, the joy that floods my soul, something happened and now I know he touched me and made me whole". That really isn't a song that is sung by someone who was just saved. It is a song that is sung by someone who has followed the Lord in the midst of thinking, "Well, I'm a Christian and I'm just going to deal with it", they realize a fresh touch from the Lord in their spirit. I want to tell you, those who have been touched by the Lord and have known his kindness really find it impossible to continue to live a life that is cranky and crabby.
I want you to mark this down: the wise understand the law of kindness. There is a law of kindness just like there is a law of gravity, just like there is a law of love and just like there is a law of momentum. How many understand God has put certain laws in creation to help us understand that certain spiritual laws take place. There is a law of kindness just like sowing and reaping, if you give you're going to get.
In Proverbs Chapter 31 it talks about the virtuous woman. It doesn't just talk about a good woman or a godly woman but it talks about the virtuous woman. The word virtue is used for a reason because the word virtue means power. Remember when Jesus was walking through the crowd and there was a lady with an issue of blood and she had been dealing with that for over 12 years? She couldn't press through and she thought if only I could touch the hem of his garment. She reached out and touched Jesus, Jesus stopped and said "who touched me? I felt virtue, I felt power go out of me".
The Bible talks about the virtuous woman or the powerful woman. How many know that if we apply wisdom to our life we can all live that life of virtue to the Lord. In Proverbs 31:26 it says, "She opens her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness". It says that those who are powerful and it's not just women I believe, how many know that the word of God applies to everyone of us? That verse reveals to us something that scripture wants us to understand and that is the law of kindness. The law of kindness is simply this, kindest begets kindness. The law of kindness primarily deals with our words and last week we talked about the power of words. The law of kindness deals with what we speak more so than our actions. It deals with the content and the attitude of what we say and how we say it because the truth is this, we can do a lot of things for people that mean a lot to them but many times it is the words that we say to them that change them.
I remember when we were in the Masters commission and it was around Thanksgiving time and in that time of our life we really didn't have any money and someone came to bring us some groceries. It was just my wife and I and we really weren't thinking about having dinner together as a family, we were thinking about having peanut butter and jelly. How many know that really wasn't what I was hoping for on thanksgiving? In the past I remember when people would help and do nice things for us, it was nice that they would drop off a bag but all they said was, " Here you go, see you later". I was thankful for the groceries but it still left a little something empty inside.
I remember some other people who brought groceries to us and this has happened a couple of times at different times in my life when I was younger and in need and studying for ministry. They would say some of the nicest things, "Listen, we want you to know that God hasn't forgotten you and neither have we, we see what you're doing and you might feel alone and feel like what you're doing isn't making a difference but it does". I want to tell you that what they spoke into my life meant more to me than those groceries. Now I was thankful for the groceries but I was real thankful for was what they spoke. It strengthened me, their kindness was so generous. Instead of saying," You loser, you should have planned a little better, you should have known a little better. You don't have what you need because you're not a real man, you're not providing for your family like you should". How many know that people who talk like that really ought to get a grip?
Speak kindness. Kindness eliminates gossip, it initiates' understanding, it offers compassionate advice, a nice word and sound counsel. The law of kindness really is the golden rule. Matthew 7:12, we had to memorize that when we were Royal Rangers growing up, every week we use to say it. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". People say, " You know Pastor I came to church this morning because I wanted you to give me something really deep". How many know this is as deep as it gets? The truth is this, if Christians would actually live the basics of the Christian life we would realize how deep it would take us into the Lord. Loving kindness is a personal service to another, a personal investment with a caring attitude.
After I wrote this message I watched a movie that I thought was really pretty good, it's called "Evan Almighty". In the movie this guy was real pompous but he kept saying, "I want to change the world". Finally God got a hold of him and told him to build an ark. How many of you are thankful that God didn't ask you to build an ark? He asked God, "What does that Ark mean"? He said, "If you want to change the world you do one act of random kindness at a time". Even though as I was watching that movie I'm thinking as a Pastor,"that's not theologically correct, I want to rewrite the script", but I still understood what they were trying to say? Listen, the world was trying its best to understand a Godly principal and convey it to the world, that acts of random kindness make a huge difference and that's how we change the world.
We've been talking about the church and in a couple of weeks we're going to talk about the vision and about a new building. There's a reason why I've been silent on that for the last couple of weeks because God is strengthening the things that remain before we can move on to build in faith.
How do we change Jupiter? How do we change Palm Beach County? How do we change the world? One person at a time, one act of kindness at a time every single day. I've been praying, God, how in the world are we going to reach this city for Jesus? How do we make a difference? Should we have bigger events, should we raise more money so we can do bigger and greater things? Listen, how many know the greatest thing that we could ever do for the Lord is sharing the gospel by sharing the loving kindness of Jesus one person at a time every day.
Kindness involves proper thought. Random kindness is good where maybe you do something in a split moment. In Pittsburgh we used to do it all the time when we saw people struggling at the parking meter. I remember one day in college I went to the meter and I had just enough change to put 50¢ in the meter and another 50¢ for a Coke while I sat through a three hour class. I saw that one of the kids was there and the timer on the meter had run out and God said to me, "You put those coins in the parking meter". I said, " How am I going to stay awake if I put quarters in the parking meter"? He said, " You don't care about that class anyway but I care about that kid, put some quarters in the parking meter".
That kid came into the class and sat down after he had gone through a couple of things and said, "I have to go out there because I'm probably going to get a $25 ticket and I can't afford it". I said, "Listen, someone already took care of it". I remember a couple of weeks later I had the opportunity to sit in that class at the University of Pittsburgh to really speak into his life because he was going through some hard times. I began to just tell him about Jesus and all it took was just 50¢ in a parking meter.
Kindness involves thought. When we were at Real Life Childrens' Ranch some of the saddest things we ever saw were at birthday times. Parents would just toss them a gift in a Wal-Mart bag, hadn't thought about it much at all, just toss it to the kid and say, "Happy Birthday" and walk out of the room. At the ranch we put a lot of thought into a kids' birthday, we'd start the week before bragging on it and telling him when it was. We would always start on the morning of their birthday by throwing them into the pond whether it was cold or hot outside. You say, "Well that seems kind of mean". No, because we were putting thought into it and I know that may seem kind of radical to you but some of those kids went to bed with their bathing suits on the night before because they were looking forward to it. "Are you going to throw me in the pond Uncle Marvin?" It was January and 40 degrees. "Yes, I'm throwing you in the pond, glory to God". And you know sometimes I would jump in after them because they would be freezing. Then we would ask them "What do you want for dinner? it's your choice". Weeks before we would be planning it, we would be telling them all week what we were having for dinner. It's amazing how much planned out kindness really makes in people's lives.
Kindness should be a natural extension of our life, more than a forced decision because it's the right thing to do, it's what's in us that begins to touch others. Colossians:3:12-13 says, "Therefore as the elect of God, Holy and Beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another". Forgiveness is kindness, patience with others is kindness, humility even when you're really good is kindness.
I want you to mark this down, kindness is easy when we allow God to deal with our own stuff. One of the things that I've found consistently after 18 years of pastoring is this, that some of the meanest people, once they allow God to deal with their hurts and their frustrations, become some of the most magnificent people in all the world. They say, "I never knew that I could become like this". They became like a whole different person.
Ephesians 4:31,32 says, " Let all bitterness, wrath and anger, clamor which is loud quarreling and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice or hatred and be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ has forgiven you".
I want to speak this to you, I believe that it is impossible to live a life of kindness if we're carrying around anger and bitterness and unforgiveness in our life. How many of you have noticed that it's really hard to help people deal with their stuff if you haven't let God deal with your stuff. I've experienced it in my own life where I've gone through certain situations and I've gotten so aggravated and I've come to prayer. How many of you have ever gone to God in prayer and still left as mean as when you went in? You find yourself walking places with that look on your face and people won't come near you because they're scared of you, because you wear that look that says, "Don't mess with me". Your kids walk away from you, your wife walks away from you or your husband walks away from you.
I remember when I've come to the Lord and he said, what are you doing? You sure aren't looking like a Christian or acting like a Christian". " God, if you knew what I was dealing with". "I know what you're dealing with, you came to prayer with me but you didn't let me deal with it. What you wanted me to deal with was your problem, you didn't want me to deal with you". I want to tell you that it is possible as a Christian to live like a Christian and to live like Christ even when your problem isn't taken care of yet. You can let Jesus take care of you.
Put away all bitterness, hatred, anger, unforgiveness and be kind. I want to tell you there were times in my life when I was dealing with some things and I was so tore up. You know it's hard to stay that way if you really want to live for Jesus because one way or the other God will send something your way that will touch your heart. Remember, kindness begets kindness, that's the law of kindness. There were times when I was going through that thing and I just wanted someone tender to touch my heart when I was so upset and God would put someone right in front of me and say "You need to be my hands extended" and as soon as I did, God began to take care of all of those things inside of me.
I want to challenge us because in the last days the one thing that the enemy wants to do in God's people is to get us to stop living like Jesus in kindness and in love, to forget how good and faithful he's been. If you will obey the laws of God you will have the benefits of that law. Lovingkindness should clothe each Christian. God says put it away and let me do a work in you. The verse says to be tenderhearted. How many remember the song, "All you need is a little tenderness"? I don't know if they're necessarily talking about the tenderness of God but that went through my mind. Tenderness involves compassion, gentleness and tact.
As I was studying for this I came across something that I had never really thought about. One of the key things that they teach in the Synagogues as one of the primary tenants of Judaism is lovingkindness and mercy. In the old testament, the word for that is "Gisad". I don't usually bring up a whole lot of Hebrew and Greek to you in the church but I was really amazed by that word. It applies to 5 key areas of kindness where God would relieve or release the anguish of his people.
How do we be kind? I want to close with this thought of Gisad. It was mercy revealed in the anguish of unfair treatment. It was mercy that relieves the anguish of grief regardless of loss. How many have ever gone through some grief during your day? Mercy that relieves the anguish of struggling with a handicap or a weakness in your life. How many of you have ever found yourself to be in a place where you just have a weakness in your life and it bothers you?
The mercy that relieves the anguish of suffering and I really like this one, mercy that releases the anguish of guilt. How many know Jesus came in His mercy to release us from all of that? What a marvelous God we serve.
Gisad, being a part of every Christian's life. As a matter of fact if you read the Word, the Bible tells us that kindness is part of our calling, it is a calling. People come to me and say, "Pastor, what is my calling? I don't know my purpose, I don't even understand what God wants me to do". I'm going to tell you right now, here's the simple thing, you are called to be kind.
Ist Peter 3:8, 9 says, "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another, loving as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous, not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling but on the contrary blessing knowing that you were called to this that you may inherit the blessing". How many know with every calling of the Lord there is a blessing on the way? We're called to be kind. Why? Because kindness begets kindness. Someone said what goes around comes around but they always meant it in a bad way. If you'll be kind you'll get it back.
I pray that at Harvest Community this week with your family that you'll realize the calling that God has on your life, that everyone of us would just be thankful for the things that God has given. You know what I believe part of our vision should be? To start a kindness revolution in Jupiter. You know where you do that? On your job and in your house.
Can you imagine if you would just take a little time to be kind to someone the first thing when you wake up the difference it might make when they go to where they're going? Then when you get to where you're going if you'll just be kind to one person? I dare you this week, tomorrow morning on Monday on the way to work, stop and get a Starbucks for that one person that you know is the most cranky person in the whole office. Listen, you were called to be kind. Pick up what they lack, I dare you and watch what happens. They won't know what to do with themselves. If they cussed you out on Friday, bring them a donut or something. Write them a card saying "I noticed you did this, thanks for being a blessing" then sign your name. If you try doing that you watch what begins to happen. God called us to change the world. How do you do it? By one act of kindness at a time. How many want to be world changers? Did you realize it could be that easy?
Father, thank you for your goodness to us. Jesus, we stand in absolute awe of you. Everyday at every turn we see your goodness in so many unique ways. God, even before we get there on Thursday, thank you.
Jesus, we thank you most of all for your kindness to us. Throughout the word it's called tender mercies and I thank you Father that there's not even a tough man in this room, even the most manly of men, that hasn't somehow experienced the tender mercies of God. With every head bowed and every eye closed if you would say, "Pastor, there has been some real turmoil going on in my life and I know I haven't been real kind, there's just been some stuff going on and I've had some anger and bitterness and frustration. It's been hard for me to even be loving to the people I care about the most and I want God to just touch me". Father, today we cast those cares to you. Thank you God for how marvelously you deal with our lives, how tenderly. Jesus I pray right now for those who lifted their hands that already this morning you've been doing a gentle work in their heart. I pray God as you heal them and touch them that they just receive it.
Father, I pray that out of this church in Jupiter would rise up a kindness revolution. Lord, we know we need to be holy and shouldn't be living in sin and all those things but God I pray beyond all that, those are the elementary things, I pray Jesus that we would begin one act at a time touching lives. Jesus maybe not even sharing the good news at first but just a little letting our light shine to be a blessing. I pray Father you'd help us start in our homes between husbands and wives, between parents and children and I pray that it would begin to extend into our workplaces.
Jesus, I thank you that the church isn't just where we meet on Sunday but we're the church. Monday through Saturday we're in all different parts of the world, we're in this office and that office, we're in banks, in car dealerships, we're cutting grass, we're in grocery stores, we're everywhere, the Church of Jesus Christ touching people one at a time. Then we come together and we worship. I pray Father that from this point on we would see the difference. God, give us eyes to see those around us that need a touch from you and let us be your hands extended. Lord, on some days, it may be a $5.00 coffee and I pray Lord that you would abundantly bless everyone who would do that because they're sowing into your kingdom. For those who can't even do that, may it just be a kind word spoken that would inspire and heal. We thank you Jesus, thank you for how you're healing us today, in your precious name, amen.
