Recognized by Our Fruit

03/09/24 – 03/22/24

Kindness to Others and Yourself

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/15/24

When we walk by the Spirit, we will exhibit kindness. These are some aspects of kindness that, with the help of the Spirit, we must express to others.

First, we must have empathy. Empathy is putting yourself in another person’s place. It can be easy to forget our own past failures, weaknesses, and needs and become insensitive to the struggles of others. So to practice kindness in these situations, we must remember the people we once were and reach out to others to help them become the people God has created them to be—full of abundant life and joy, resting in the grace of God. When talking with a troubled friend, we should apply Proverbs 12:25: “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”

Second, show kindness to yourself—not as self-indulgence, but as mercy. Ask God to forgive your sins, but don’t dwell on them. Don’t allow your past to dominate your present thinking. In addition, allow yourself to receive kindness from others. In doing so, you are giving someone else an opportunity to experience more of God’s joy and fulfillment in their own lives.

Prayer: God, teach me to be an empathetic person. Help me to remember where I came from and to encourage others. Help me to also show myself mercy and receive kindness from others. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).