Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a video of Glen Campbell singing the convicting song… Try A Little Kindness, proclaiming that God’s love requires all of us reaching out to/for others in our lives and sharing some of the love God has shown for us.
Highlight Passage 2nd Samuel 9: 7 [NKJV] …
7 So David said to him [Mephibosheth], “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”
… David fulfills an oath of kindness to His beloved friend, Jonathan, by taking in Jonathan’s crippled son, Mephibosheth
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Highlight Context - 2nd Samuel, Chapter 9 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… David’s kindness to his friend’s son, Mephibosheth, who was David’s adversary, Saul’s, grandson
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Reference Passage #1 - 1st Samuel 20: 42 [NKJV] …
42 Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’”
… The love covenant between Jonathan and David was to last forever.
Reference Passage #2 - 1st Corinthians 13: 4a [NKJV] …
4 Love suffers long and is kind; …
… If God’s love is kind … why don’t we show more of it to others?
Reference Passage #3 - Galatians 5: 22-23 [NKJV] …
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, KINDNESS, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
… All Christians are have the fruit of KINDNESS in our basket of fruit; but do we let it mature and use it in our walk in/with/for Christ?
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Anne Cetas, really did a conviction job on this ODB reader today. Cetas tells the story of being at a funeral of a dear friend who was celebrated at her home-going because of her life of fruitfulness for Christ … a life which had exhibited so much kindness to others. May who were at the funeral that day had been touched by the kindness of this dear sister.
As we know from Paul’s list of the “fruit of the Spirit” (see Galatians 5: 22-23, linked above with “KINDNESS” emphasized), kindness is one of those characteristics of Christlikeness all Christians have when they (we) are born-again in Christ. And yes, it is true that some of these Christlike characteristics are more mature in some Christians than others. Certainly “patience” is the least mature fruit in my basket than the others; but I DO KNOW that I’m becoming more patient over time as long as I stay in surrender to God’s Spirit and keeping pursuing a more abiding relationship with Christ (see Phil. 1: 6).
And that one fruit of “kindness” was really on display by author Anne Cetas in her ODB blog this morning; and as I sought out a pictorial image to illustrate today’s blog, I became even more convicted, coming across the attached photo of that saintly sister, Mother Theresa. Seeing it, I wondered about my attitude of “kindness” when I see beggars panhandling on the streets with signs declaring an image of despair. Seeing the image of Mother Theresa, saying, “If we judges people, we have no time to love them;” … I wondered if I too often profile these panhandlers, wondering if I’m enabling their poor habits and thereby being unkind by passing them by.
Today the ODB blog referred back to the story of King David in 2nd Samuel, Chapter 9 where David broke from tradition by taking in the son of his old, dear friend, Jonathan, and kindly making the crippled boy part of David’s kingly court. Most kings in those days would have had the entire generation killed, especially following an adversary regent (in this case King Saul); but David had promised Jonathan that he would take care of Jonathan’s family [see 1st Sam. 20: 42]; and he did just that by taking in the young, crippled lad, Mephibosheth.
From today’s ODB, I’m convicted to reach out more, … to give more to others of my time, talents, and treasures … without judging. … How about you?
My Prayer Today: Oh Lord, … Please show me where and when I can show more of Your kindness to others. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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