Forty Days Full - An Invitation To Real Life

Day Twenty-Six: Kindness

“Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” (Rom 11:22 NIV)

H ave you ever been taken back by an expression of kindness from another person? Maybe it was a message sent through social media or a card with thoughtful words written. Maybe it was a nice meal prepared or a special gift chosen just for you. What is the effect it has on your heart? For me, it causes me to pause and reflect on my relationship with that person. There is a sense of warmth toward them and a gratefulness for their influence in my life. I will often go back and read again what they said or consider how I can return an act of kindness to them. There’s a couple Ann and I know who were struggling in their marriage. They'd been through a very difficult time and were considering separation. They were not members of our church because they lived out of town. They attended a Life Change workshop and experienced some major breakthrough. We made a real connection with them and God began to really move in their life. They also experienced a real God encounter when they visited Bethel Church in Redding, California. It was beautiful to see Jesus bring real healing as only He can do. We watched with joy seeing Him work and see them respond. When God does a miracle, we can never take credit for His work. This is why we were hesitant when they wanted to meet so they could give Ann and I a gift. We were shocked when