Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 27: KINDNESS”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Titus 3:3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
Which of these groups of people would it be easy to be kind to?
- Foolish people?
- Disobedient?
- People entrenched in personal passions and pleasures?
- People living in malice and envy?
- People full of hatred?
NONE of them!
I would have a hard time being kind to any one of these individuals or groups of individuals! It is so hard to be kind to people who are full of hatred for you, into themselves, or just living a lifestyle set on pleasing themselves.
My kindness would have a hard time appearing in those situations.
If I would act that way, I would suspect it would be hard for people to be kind to me.
I can’t dismiss this list and detach myself from acting in a foolish, disobedient, self-centered way. I have to admit I fall into this category as well.
So what would God do with me and these people? Completely opposite of what I or others would deserve.
But “when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared…”
What did he choose to do…to me?
He SAVED me!
When God’s kindness showed up it was all about me and what I needed to stand right with God. The Spirit inspired Paul to write:
Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
God was willing to go to the cross for me to pay the price my foolish, disobedient, self-centered heart deserved. What drove him to do this? His mercy. His kindness. His love…for me…for you!
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
This mercy is what we will build on to show mercy and kindness to others!
Apply: What does the kindness of God mean for you?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for taking the punishment our sins deserved so that we might experience and living in your saving grace now and forever! AMEN.