Gift of Kindness

… be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

(Ephesians 4:32, NKJV)

We are in that season of cheer and good wishes.  A period in the year that most look forward to and which we plan for through the year.  It is a season that carries a vibe of happiness and high expectations.  The weather in some parts of the world is harsh at this time, but that does not diminish the excitement of the season.  Someone sung that it is the most wonderful time of the year and I agree.  It is like we all try to actualize the beauty and wonder of the season in our own small ways.  While as believers we know this period is one we remember the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, to many who celebrate the fun and joy of the season, the reason does not matter, all what matters is that there is a wonderful holiday to celebrate.  Families get together, travel is undertaken far and wide, with the singular goal of spending a joyous season together, some eating their traditional Christmas foods while others experiment with new recipes.  To crown the laughter and quiet the expectations, gifts are shared round the family.  There has been a lot of thought given into what each person receives as a gift, money has been saved for the perfect gift and the retailers are selling their merchandise at a sale price.  It is time to give meaningful gifts to each other, hopefully gifts which will not only be remembered but also valued.  Beloved, it is Christmas!!

As I reflected on this season, the question of gifts lingered.  I realized there are times that one does not know what is appropriate to buy  as a gift, other times, the gifts identified are more costly than the individual could afford.  This I guess is a situation that many have encountered when considering what really is worth the gift you want to give.  Beloved, when we hear of gifts, we always think of material items, things that we can touch and hold – that is where the question of cost comes in.  Could we in this season think deeper than the physical gift and choose to lace our gifts with more intangible things like love, kindness, smiles, hugs etc.  Our reference verse calls us to be kind, gentle and forgiving of others, gifts that we can give to all that we meet.  Many family meetings around Christmas are challenged by emotions of anger and unforgiveness resulting from past hurts, these take away a genuine love and care for each other.  How about if we choose to remove the unforgiveness coat that we have worn for so long and extend a hand of acceptance and sincere connection?  Brethren, as far as God is concerned, love covers a multitude of sins (Proverbs 17:9).  With love God draws us to Himself just as we are, giving us acceptance and belonging.  There are many around us whose hearts ache for acceptance, it is an invaluable gift, a gift that each one of us can give to another.  Forgiving is easier said than done, but when we know that our Lord expects us to forgive others, then we make up our minds to pursue forgiveness.  In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus taught us to ask the Father for forgiveness to the measure that we forgive others (Matthew 6:12;  Luke 11:4).   In forgiving others and being kind to them, we are being like our Father.  That is often a yardstick that others use to gauge our faith.  Brethren, when we cannot forgive by ourselves but the Spirit of God helps us to live as God desires.  Therefore, we see the fruit of the Spirit includes love, patience, kindness, gentleness (Galatians 5:22-23), all elements that come into play when we forgive others.  As we celebrate this Christmas and going forward, may we be those who show kindness to those undeserving, living out the fruit of the Spirit in our hearts.  These characteristics are gifts that are in short supply, may we be carriers of them as we light up our world.  Merry Christmas.

Thoughts:

What is your reflection of this blog?

What gifts do you plan to give and why?

How have you treated/valued intangible gifts?