“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you except to be just, and to love [and to diligently practice] kindness (compassion), and to walk humbly with your God [setting aside any overblown sense of importance or self-righteousness]?” (Micah 6:8 The Amplified Bible)
In your lifetime you have proved that you can meet requirements. In school, when you were required to write an essay with a minimum of specified pages, you did it. You might have counted each word and wrote no more than the required minimum, but you did it. When you entered the world of work, standards were set for you to meet, production goals that had to be made by the end of the day were established, and reports were to be submitted by an unbending, non-negotiable deadline, and knowing you, you met your requirement. Desiring to make the best of your performance and destined to move up a little bit higher in the organization’s hierarchy, you met the requirement. Your parents gave you some chores to do around the house, teaching you how to be responsible and to develop other positive qualities. Did you ignore the chores? Not if you knew what was best for you! I’m sure, with maybe a few exceptions, you met the requirement.
In the verse above, there is one requirement, one that does not have room for any exceptions, a requirement that I would like you to focus on: diligently practicing kindness. The Lord requires it. Know that doing what He requires, specifically related to showing kindness, this will make someone’s day in a great way.
Let me tell you about an act of kindness that proves the last, aforementioned sentence. A Deaconess from our church spearheaded, led one the missionary goals decided on by our church Leadership Council. Last week, she delivered special gift bags for residents at a nearby nursing home, gifts packaged in pink and brown bags, with the help of a couple of other faithful sisters from the church. The pink bags were for the women and the brown bags for the men. Going from room to room, she presented these unsuspected gifts to each resident. She made more than two people’s day, but let me share the reaction of two of the residents. One elderly woman after receiving her gift, kept her joy from being suppressed, smiled and said, “God bless you!” Another resident in the same room said, “I didn’t know she could talk!” Well she did on that day, just because of the Deaconess was doing what the Lord required, diligently practicing kindness. Another resident, reclining in her propped up bed, after receiving her gift bag, she raised her hands back over her head, with the same vigor as an athlete that had just finished running a marathon race in record time, and she expressed her thanks with her weakened voice, overcoming the toll that aging takes on you, and she should “Thank you!” Why did she act different than she regularly acted in her restricted residence? It was because the Deaconess was doing what the Lord required.
I know! This was supposed to be your Monday Short Meditation, but I just had to impress on you the importance of doing what the Lord requires as it relates to showing kindness to others. Showing kindness if a part of love too. So, don’t just focus on the Monday Short this morning, but why don’t you make this a “Make Somebody’s Day Monday,” and diligently show kindness to someone else, preferably someone you don’t even know or someone who least expects it. Not only will you see a positive reaction, or at least a small response to what you do, but know that you have really made a difference in somebody’s day by the loving kindness you display toward them. If you ask the Deaconess, she will tell you that it not only made the residents’ day, but it made her day too. That’s how you feel when you do what the Lord requires.
Have a great day! Feel good about what you are about to do! May your experience cause you to do more of what is required more often, beyond today. Be blessed!
“Love is patient, love is kind.” (I Corinthians 13:4a NIV)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King