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Did you know that even if someone is mean to us we must be kind to them? Many times our being kind to them makes them feel bad for being so mean to us!
Be ye kind one to another. — EPHESIANS 4:32a
DEAR CHILDREN, did you know that even if someone is mean to us we must be kind to them? Many times our being kind to them makes them feel bad for being so mean to us!
Let’s pretend you are playing with a toy at school. A boy named Nick takes the toy away from you. In your heart, you want to go to Nick, grab the toy, perhaps even push him, but this is not what God commands us to do. God commands us to be kind, so instead, you should first ask the Lord to help you obey His Word to be kind. Then you should say, “Nick, I had that toy first. If you would have asked me, I would have shared it with you. If you will be nice to me, I would like to play with you and share all of these toys with you.” Saying this to Nick might make him feel amazed that you are being kind to him after he had been mean to you. He probably will feel sorry for having taken your toy.
In some ways, this is what happens when God’s children sin against Him. God shows them how kind He has been to them. He has given them a new heart and all that they need for their body and soul. He has never treated them unkindly. When they think about this, they feel very unhappy for sinning against such a kind God. Ask God to make you truly sorry for treating your Creator so sinfully by all of the naughty things you do while He takes such good care of you and keeps calling you to repent and believe in His Son.
Excerpt from
God’s Alphabet for Life
By Joel R. Beeke and Heidi Boorsma
