Lion Heart ENCOURAGE – I AM KIND

Intro:

Who are you? Who does God say you are? Sometimes I think we get so busy with life that we seldom stop and think about what matters.

I AM KIND. This statement bears thinking about.

As leaders and role models, we as fathers and husbands, have an acute influence on our families. It’s an immense responsibility. Our attitudes, behaviours and responses in the home has a major influence on the tone in your home.

Remember, with authority comes responsibility. You don’t have that authority and that influence just to ‘have your will done’. No! You have that authority for the service and protection of your family.

Let’s examine how we can be more like Jesus to those around us.

Encouragement:

Before we get into the thick of things, I’d like to start by saying that God made you a man. With a purpose. Part of your wiring is to be a more formidable and forceful persona. I speak in general terms. There is a reason that you have been given a healthy dose of testosterone. This was not a mistake. Aggression, anger and even violence can be good and Goldy traits in the correct circumstances. These are not your average run of the mill traits, but because we are more outwardly focused, we sometimes need these traits and reactions so that we can protect our families, and possible use these traits to forge a path forward when needed.

However, their manifestation is not that common. If aggression, anger and violence is a common theme in your life, then you probably need help. But let’s examine what a ‘normal’ balance would look like.

Let’s look at Jesus.

Through-out Jesus’ ministry on earth, we see a stark contrast between how He treated sinners, and how He treated the prideful. I realise that these are the same thing, but hear me out. When it came to the prideful, ‘the whitewashed tombs’, Jesus didn’t hold back. He let rip. Conversely, when dealing with the sinner that knew they were sinful, when they came in humility and repentance, Jesus responded extremely accepting, lovingly and kind.

This is a practical lesson for us. Jesus looked to the heart of the person, not the outer sin. When the persons heart was contrite, Jesus responded with care. When a person’s heart was hard and cold, Jesus responded harshly. (Keep in mind that Jesus’ response was ALWAYS formulated to gain repentance from his subject)

We too should look at the heart before considering our response.

As a young Father, I was dead set on doing the right thing. Raising my children well. Being a good Dad. I was so focused on ‘raising them right’, that I often missed their hearts. I would most times address the sin, the outer ‘wrongs’, and not see their heart. The zeal to do it right caused me to leave kindness out in the cold. Yes, wrongs should be corrected, but the whole situation should be weighed carefully.

When we address the sin separate from the heart attitude, we will most times do more harm than good. A good heart, no matter what the sin, demands a kind response. It could still be corrective, but in a kind manner.

Furthermore, as men we are often out there facing a competitive world. A world that is many times harsh, where firmness and fortitude is needed. And this is ok. This is why you were made the way you were. But at the end of the day, that aggression and firmness should not accompany us back home. I know for many years I battled with that transition. I battled to leave the adrenaline at the office. This may be a challenge you face as well.

We should be careful to write this ‘transition’ off as a simple flip of a switch. Developing true kindness is not a weekend course. It requires a fundamental reforming of our souls. You see, there is a difference between how God sees you, and how you see yourself. Your current self-image is ‘out-of-phase’ with your real self. Your carnal self is at war with your spiritual self.

The truth is that you are seated in heavenly places with One Christ Jesus (Eph2:6). The truth is that you are a new creation, old things have passed away(2Cor5:17). However, when looking at yourself in the mirror, are you seeing that new creature? Probably not. So why don’t we see this new creation?

This reality is pretty stark. If we walk in the flesh, we will reap death. If we walk in the Spirit we will live.

It’s about developing the right fruit. The fruit of the Spirit.

Gal 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Bearing fruit shows that you’re abiding in the vine. Bearing fruit brings glory to God.

John 15:4-8 NKJV

“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.

I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.”

I AM KIND. Without God’s transformative work in and through us this statement can’t be true. However, in Christ, and by the Spirit, this statement becomes true in our lives.

How is fruit produced? Or let me ask it like this, does the peach tree need to put effort in to produce a peach? I don’t believe so. The tree just needs to be rooted and grounded well.

And this applies to us, the fruit of the Spirit is produced when we are rooted in Him.

Abide in Christ. Rooted and grounded. In step with the Spirit.

So much of our Christian Walk, is simply being connected to God. Abiding in Him. Everything flows from that!!

So how? One word: Abide. This is abiding. Not AirBNB. Not in one day and out the next. But a permanent tight knit living life in intimate communion with God.

This transformation is not without its challenges though. It is important to consider that there are obstacles that come between you and this truth. Your flesh, and your past sin come between you and this truth.

Gal 6:7

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

Your past sin produces weeds, or consequences, that need to be weeded out. Your flesh wants to continue sinning, and needs to be crucified.

There are two main aspects that will cause us to grow in kindness. Firstly, abiding in Christ as detailed above. Secondly, dealing with past sin, or said differently, putting off the old man.

Eph 4:22

“Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts”

The NASB translates the word for “put off” as “lay aside.” It shows the idea of doing away with something, taking it off and putting it down. A proper image may be when one changes clothes in the morning. One puts off or lays aside the old clothes and puts on the new clothes.

Paul commands the Ephesians to stop living as the old man and instead put on the new man. He points to the means for putting on the new self in Ephesians 4:23, namely, that one be renewed in the spirit of the mind. In Romans 12:1–2 Paul commands the church in Rome to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This renewal is in direct opposition to being conformed to this world.

Conclusion:

So, in a short conclusion we grow in Kindness by: abiding, repenting and being transformed in our thinking.

If this has blessed you, please forward it to another.

Your Brother in Christ,

Stanley 

No AI generated text was used, as usual :)