1 Corinthians 13:4 says, "Love has long patience, is kind; love is not emulous [of others]; love is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up...."
Love is Kind.
According to the dictionary, 'kind' is described as being 'mild or gentle.' I wanted to study what 'mild' meant as well, so I looked up it's meaning. 'Mild' means "amiably gentle or temperate in feeling or behavior toward others" or "gentleness as in manners of speech."
Love is gentle.
Love is temperate in feeling or behavior toward others
Love is gentle in manner of speech.
Being gentle means to not be rough or violent-- despite the situation, despite our emotions, despite our stress levels. God describes love as being soft.
We are asked to bear kindness in many verses through out the Bible.
Ephesians 4:32 says, "and be to one another kind, compassionate, forgiving one another, so as God also in Christ has forgiven you."
Proverbs 11:17 says, "Kindness is its own reward, but cruelty is a self-inflicted wound.'
Proverbs 15:26 says, "The thoughts of the wrongdoers repulse the Eternal, but kind words are pure pleasure for Him."
Proverbs 21:21 says, "Whoever pursues justice and treats others with kindness discovers true life marked by integrity and respect."
In every one of these verses, we read that God honors kindness--
He asks us to be kind and compassionate.
Kindness has it's own rewards.
Kind words are a pure pleasure to Him.
Whoever treats others with kindness discovers true life.
And God discusses having a gentle spirit in many verses as well:
In Proverbs 15, God says, "A tender answer turns away rage, but a prickly reply spikes anger."
Matthew 5:5 says, "Blessed are the meek and gentle—they will inherit the earth."
And in Ephesians, Paul writes to "Be humble. Be gentle. Be patient. Tolerate one another in an atmosphere thick with love."
Phillipians 4:5 states, "Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps. The Lord is ever present with us."
In every one of these verses- we see the beauty in a gentle spirit---
A gentle answer turns away rage.
Blessed are they gentle. They will inherit the earth.
We are called to be humble and gentle.
And we see that the Lord is gentle- and we are called to walk in his footsteps.
Have you ever been in an argument with someone? You can sense they are getting upset and frustrated, but you continue to encourage the frustration. You don't guard your words- you speak with harshness and unkindness. And then tempers begin to increase.
But then- have you ever been in an argument with someone and you can sense they are getting upset and frustrated, so you soften your tone. You speak with calmness, with mercy, with apology. You try to understand their view. And the atmosphere shifts from that of anger- to that of peace.
We have control over our relationships and the path that disagreements take. It all starts with our words and the manner we speak. We can enhance the energy in the room or deplete it. It is up to us.
Imagine someone getting angry with you, but you do not react to it-- you speak softly- with wisdom and peace. What is there to be mad about after that?
"I'm so angry you're being nice to me!"
"I'm so frustrated you're calm!"
"I'm so angry because I want to be SO mad at you but you're speaking with respect!!"
"Why are you respecting me??????"
You can't be mad when someone is throwing a soft answer to you-- an answer that is not fueled by malice, bitterness, revenge, or blame. An answer that is respectful and loving.
I know it is hard- trust me. I'm the mouthy one in my relationship that speaks whatever I feel in the moment without giving it one thought-- and guess what? It has made a lot more disagreements even worse than they had to be all because I was speaking with harshness and always pointing blame.
Once God started changing my heart-- He started shifting my attitude towards arguments as well.
I always say- we don't have to be doormats, but if it isn't a disagreement that will alter the course of your lives-- work hard to end it. I try to apologize immediately now (when I probably didn't apologize once during the first 6 years of our marriage.......) and put the blame on me (even when I don't feel I am in the wrong.)
A defensive attitude only creates more trouble. An attitude of repentance gets the Lord's attention-- imagine if we created an atmosphere of repentance in our own relationships as well?
Love is kind. Love is gentle. Love works to keep the peace in relationships. It takes work-- but I promise, it is worth it. Watch your relationships change. Watch your heart change. Watch your life change.
I love you all today.
Love is Kind.
According to the dictionary, 'kind' is described as being 'mild or gentle.' I wanted to study what 'mild' meant as well, so I looked up it's meaning. 'Mild' means "amiably gentle or temperate in feeling or behavior toward others" or "gentleness as in manners of speech."
Love is gentle.
Love is temperate in feeling or behavior toward others
Love is gentle in manner of speech.
Being gentle means to not be rough or violent-- despite the situation, despite our emotions, despite our stress levels. God describes love as being soft.
We are asked to bear kindness in many verses through out the Bible.
Ephesians 4:32 says, "and be to one another kind, compassionate, forgiving one another, so as God also in Christ has forgiven you."
Proverbs 11:17 says, "Kindness is its own reward, but cruelty is a self-inflicted wound.'
Proverbs 15:26 says, "The thoughts of the wrongdoers repulse the Eternal, but kind words are pure pleasure for Him."
Proverbs 21:21 says, "Whoever pursues justice and treats others with kindness discovers true life marked by integrity and respect."
In every one of these verses, we read that God honors kindness--
He asks us to be kind and compassionate.
Kindness has it's own rewards.
Kind words are a pure pleasure to Him.
Whoever treats others with kindness discovers true life.
And God discusses having a gentle spirit in many verses as well:
In Proverbs 15, God says, "A tender answer turns away rage, but a prickly reply spikes anger."
Matthew 5:5 says, "Blessed are the meek and gentle—they will inherit the earth."
And in Ephesians, Paul writes to "Be humble. Be gentle. Be patient. Tolerate one another in an atmosphere thick with love."
Phillipians 4:5 states, "Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps. The Lord is ever present with us."
In every one of these verses- we see the beauty in a gentle spirit---
A gentle answer turns away rage.
Blessed are they gentle. They will inherit the earth.
We are called to be humble and gentle.
And we see that the Lord is gentle- and we are called to walk in his footsteps.
Have you ever been in an argument with someone? You can sense they are getting upset and frustrated, but you continue to encourage the frustration. You don't guard your words- you speak with harshness and unkindness. And then tempers begin to increase.
But then- have you ever been in an argument with someone and you can sense they are getting upset and frustrated, so you soften your tone. You speak with calmness, with mercy, with apology. You try to understand their view. And the atmosphere shifts from that of anger- to that of peace.
We have control over our relationships and the path that disagreements take. It all starts with our words and the manner we speak. We can enhance the energy in the room or deplete it. It is up to us.
Imagine someone getting angry with you, but you do not react to it-- you speak softly- with wisdom and peace. What is there to be mad about after that?
"I'm so angry you're being nice to me!"
"I'm so frustrated you're calm!"
"I'm so angry because I want to be SO mad at you but you're speaking with respect!!"
"Why are you respecting me??????"
You can't be mad when someone is throwing a soft answer to you-- an answer that is not fueled by malice, bitterness, revenge, or blame. An answer that is respectful and loving.
I know it is hard- trust me. I'm the mouthy one in my relationship that speaks whatever I feel in the moment without giving it one thought-- and guess what? It has made a lot more disagreements even worse than they had to be all because I was speaking with harshness and always pointing blame.
Once God started changing my heart-- He started shifting my attitude towards arguments as well.
I always say- we don't have to be doormats, but if it isn't a disagreement that will alter the course of your lives-- work hard to end it. I try to apologize immediately now (when I probably didn't apologize once during the first 6 years of our marriage.......) and put the blame on me (even when I don't feel I am in the wrong.)
A defensive attitude only creates more trouble. An attitude of repentance gets the Lord's attention-- imagine if we created an atmosphere of repentance in our own relationships as well?
Love is kind. Love is gentle. Love works to keep the peace in relationships. It takes work-- but I promise, it is worth it. Watch your relationships change. Watch your heart change. Watch your life change.
I love you all today.
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