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Elementary Kindness

Elementary Kindness. ( A shining light that glorifies God ). Matthew 5:16. (Based upon study notes encouraged by sermon on Nov.12). Kindness Discussion Choices we all make… Unkind (Easily Done) Action / Inaction / Words Indifference (Little Effort) Kind (Lot of Effort).

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Elementary Kindness

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  1. Elementary Kindness ( A shining light that glorifies God ) Matthew 5:16 (Based upon study notes encouraged by sermon on Nov.12)

  2. Kindness Discussion • Choices we all make… • Unkind (Easily Done) • Action / Inaction / Words • Indifference (Little Effort) • Kind (Lot of Effort)

  3. Kindness Discussion • Choices we all make… • Unkind (Easily Done) • Action/ Inaction / Words • Indifference (Little Effort) • Kind (Lot of Effort)

  4. Unkind Action Extreme: • (A few examples) • Murder: Cain – Genesis 4:8 • Adultery and Murder: David - II Samuel 11:4 / 11:15 • Idolatry: Aaron – Exodus 32:4

  5. Kindness Discussion • Choices we all make… • Unkind (Easily Done) • Action / Inaction / Words • Indifference (Little Effort) • Kind (Lot of Effort)

  6. Unkind Inaction Extreme: • (A few examples) • Ignoring God’s Word: Pharoah’s Servant’s – Exodus 9:20-21 • Ignoring Wisdom: Simple scoffers – Proverbs 1:20-31 • Ignoring Weak: Priest and Levite – Luke 10:31-32

  7. Kindness Discussion • Choices we all make… • Unkind (Easily Done) • Action / Inaction / Words • Indifference (Little Effort) • Kind (Lot of Effort)

  8. Unkind Words Extreme: • (A few examples) • Discouraging: Job’s Wife – Job 2:9 • Lying / Deceit: Old prophet of Bethel - I Kings 13:18 • Gossip: Busybodies - I Timothy 5:13 • Scoffing: Fools – Proverbs 29:8-9

  9. Being Unkind: • Jealousy is a popular motivation • Selfish / serves personal interests • Hurtful and destructive • Ignores consequences • Degrades / demoralizes others • Satisfies foolish desires • Leaves important work left undone • Unreasonable and irrational

  10. Being Unkind: • Creates stumbling blocks for others • Generates confusion in every situation • Promotes self but destroys personal image and relationships with others • Easy reaction to difficult situations • Undoes good things • Violates conscience • Forgets about the things of God

  11. Kindness Discussion • Choices we all make… • Unkind (Easily Done) • Action / Inaction / Words • Indifference (Little Effort) • Kind (Lot of Effort)

  12. Indifference: • (A few examples) • Reuben – Genesis 37:29 • Israelites – Joshua 24:15 • People of Laish – Judges 18:7 • Cleansed Lepers – Luke 17:16-17 • Agrippa – Acts 26:28 • Church at Pergamum: Revelation 2:14

  13. Being Indifferent: • Isn’t personally challenging • Isn’t personally rewarding • Does not require courage • Can be easily dismissed (as if it doesn’t really matter) • Easily states, “not my fault” and redistributes blame and shame!

  14. Kindness Discussion • Choices we all make… • Unkind (Easily Done) • Action / Inaction / Words • Indifference (Little Effort) • Kind (Lot of Effort)

  15. Kindness Origin • Romans 2:4 • Kindness originates of God • Richly displayed • Partnered with forbearance and patience • Leads us to repentance James 1:17 - 18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.

  16. Kindness Concepts: • Job 6:14 • “He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”

  17. Kindness Concepts: • Psalms 141:5 • “Let a righteous man strike me--it is a kindness; let him rebuke me--it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it.”

  18. Kindness Concepts: • Proverbs 31:26 • “An excellent wife… • … opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”

  19. Kindness Concepts: • Micah 6:8 • “…what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,and to walk humbly with your God?”

  20. Kindness Concepts: • Zechariah 7:9-10 • “Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”

  21. Kindness Concepts: • Galatians 5:22-25 • “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

  22. Kindness Concepts: • Colossians 3:12-15 • “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”

  23. Kindness: When / How • As opportunity exists • As opportunity is created • At a personal cost • Without personal gain • At a personal risk

  24. Kindness: Practical Advice • Start with “little things”; big things are a natural extension of the little things… then do big things! • Go beyond a comfort zone; it is not about giving what’s “left over” or “available” • Be a gracious recipient of kindness • Be courageous! Sometimes, just do it! • Don’t expect appreciation and don’t allow a lack of appreciation deter your efforts! • Prayer is a primary act of kindness… and don’t stop there!

  25. Kindness: Precautions • Worldly definitions don’t count! • It is humbling, sometimes humiliating! • Should be recognized only as a matter of incidental necessity! • Must never be advertised! • You need to budget time for this throughout the day, every day! • Planned and spontaneous – do both!

  26. Kindness: Warnings • Doing / saying nothing can be unkind! • Be practical and logical; work within your means but always try to push your boundaries. • Remember that you represent more than just yourself; you are attempting to glorify God. • Teach others how to be kind but don’t teach others scripted actions… that’s not the point. • Learn from others! Don’t limit your observations to brethren but be careful to properly discern. • Be willing to change your heart!

  27. More Kindness Concepts: • Ephesians 4:31-32 • 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. • I Corinthians 15:33 • Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals.“ SAME GREEK WORD!

  28. More Kindness Concepts: • Ephesians 5:3-11 • “3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not associate with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. “

  29. More Kindness Concepts: • Titus 3:8 • “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.”

  30. More Kindness Concepts: • James 1:27 • “ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world ”

  31. Final Thought: • Romans 12:1-3 • “1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”

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