Love is Kind.

And we're off again! :) I took a much needed break from this little blog series due to some much needed Jesus time. Plenty of cultivating and seeking went on there. It's funny but, around the time I started writing these was the time I started learning what real love really looks like. Still learning...but I want to share what's been piercing me in my own life lately.

As you guys may or may not know, I am writing from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. And you guessed it, today's part is kindness. When I hear that word I often think of my second grade teacher reciting the rules of the classroom every single day with us, "Now class, we muct always respect one another and be kind." Then everyone would groan and continue to pick dried glue off the desk or pass a note to the little boy with the spiked hair. We thought we knew it all...

I look back 11 years ago and think, how much of that sentence did I really take in? I mean after all I was second grade. The age when selfish desires are still considered acceptable and scarily enough in our day and age, are encouraged.

So what about kindness and respect? For the most part, we would say we do a fairly good job of keeping our kind-o-meter's up. We occassionally walk the neighbor's dog, help old miss Johnson with her groceries, even offer to let someone with one item cut us in the grocery line. And our pats on the back continue and we feel good about our good deeds.

The Bible says that Love is kind. But I want to add another word alongside that. I want to add that love is respectful. I believe these go hand in hand to some degree. Kindness is described as an ACT. In most definitions you will see that kindness requires you to do something. But in order to have the mindset to act, we must first learn how to respect. Think of it this way:

A husband comes home after a long day of work, stops at the door to let out to few sighs as he hears the screaming baby and tinkering of things inside the house. He puts on a cheery smile and looks forward to getting a warm hug and kiss from his busy and tired wife. He opens the door and sees the house. Pots and pans acroos the kitchen, the vaccuum still out from the morning cleanup, baby toys in the den...he sighs and wonders "What has she been doing all day?" but continues to search for her. She shows up instantly, frustrated he had to work late, thrusting the baby into his arms without so much as a glance in his direction and mumbling something about needing more groceries and his mother calling. One things leads to another and he never appreciates what she does and she takes him for granted.

I believe there is an essential need for kindness and respect in all areas of our lives. Respect creates the mind frame. When we are focused on repsecting someone, we consider them in our decisions or our actions, we place their need to be respected above ourselves, we take time for them and listen to them. Most of all, we respect them with everything. Our thoughts, our words and actions. Which would lead to kindness. Remember that kindness is the act. I like to think of kindness as an act of respect. When we approach one another calmly, gently and with understanding, we are starting to build our relationships continually upwards and making them stronger and more rewarding.

The Word says that love is kind. So when faced with the ability to be unkind, consider why you want to be unkind. Remember that love is not self-seeking either. (we'll touch on that in a few weeks;) ) Respect starts with the heart and mind, then pours out into your behavior, which can lead to kind actions. Choose to live by His kind of love. Choose to love with freedom.


-Tiffanie