Treat Others with Kindness

Richard Hollerman

We live in a cold, dark, and evil world. But God does want us to be filled with His light and love.  Let us seek to live in this way! I notice the following scripture:

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other. . . (Colossians 3:12-13a).

Do we very often think of the different qualities that God calls on us to manifest in this scripture? Notice the passage above. We are to be compassionate. Are you? Am I? Do we show true and lasting compassion? When there is someone in need and going through a difficult time in life, do we show compassion toward such a person? Do we seek to help, comfort, provide for, and bless him or her?

What about kindness? How do people know you? Do they think of you as a kind person—one who is kind toward your neighbors, kind toward your family, kind toward your brothers and sisters, and kind toward everyone around you? Or, on the other hand, do they think of you as an indifferent person, one who may even be gruff, spiteful, cruel, harsh and unkind?

Are you a humble person? Instead of being proud and high-minded, boasting about your achievements, your mental and physical prowess, are you filled with humility and lowliness? Are you one who is not hard but tender? Are you modest, unassuming, and subservient?

As we continue, are you a person who is gentle? Do people recognize you as a gentle man or gentle woman in your relationships. Yes, we are to be strong but let us also be gentle, tender-hearted, and compassionate with people. Does your family know you as a gentle person and gentle is your bearing?

And we also think of patience. Are you patient with your spouse, patient with your children, patient with you parents, and patient with everyone you know? Are we truly long-suffering? Even when we must rebuke or take a strong stand in the midst of rampant evil, we can also be patient.

What about forbearance and forgiveness? Do people think of you as being harsh, unkind, impatient, bitter, and hard-hearted? Seldom or never are these attitudes proper for us, as believers, but we are to treat others with forbearance and be quick to forgive the failings of others.

Do these words describe you as a child of God? God calls on us: “Be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Ephesians 5:1-2).

As you read through God’s Word, you will come upon many, many more descriptive words that should convict us. God calls us to be like Him and to relate to others as we read in this significant passage. Do you? Do I? Let’s determine to have this attitude!