Do I have to?
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32, NLT
Have you ever told someone to be nice? Did it work? We do this with kids all the time. They kind of look confused about what we mean, and maybe we can learn from them.. In today’s world, “be nice” is like saying, “Agree with everything they believe and support them no matter what.”
But kindness doesn’t have to equal agreement.
I think the key is that word “tenderhearted.” It’s about allowing our heart to remain soft for everyone, even in a world where it’s expedient and expected to cancel instead. Kindness does mean valuing each other like Jesus did. He not only valued us, he gave his life for us—whether we agree with what he stands for, or not. Kindness isn’t a currency to be spent, but a gift to give.
ACT
Have you recently unfriended someone on social media, or avoided talking with them, because of a stance they take? Consider how you might choose kindness instead.
pray
Lord, you ask for kindness, not cancels. That is hard in our world. Show me how to do this.