Tag: Kindness

Unleashed! You are Free!

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment Freedom & Transformation, Inspirational Blog , , , , , , , ,

During prayer, I clearly heard the word, “Unleashed!” I felt a strong sense of God releasing people from things that hold them captive. It wasn’t an audible voice, but a certain knowing in my spirit. God was extending a personal invitation to respond — an invitation open to others. I believe we are entering a season in which God is throwing open gates and pushing open doors that have been closed for a long time.

The image of cattle being released from wintering pens came to my mind as I thought of the word “unleashed.” What joyous imagery!

During the long cold winters, we confined cattle in small paddocks to feed and bed them. All winter they ate baled hay and slept on heaping beds of straw. When the snow melted in spring, the pens became mucky. But then came the day when we opened the gates. The cattle dashed through the open gate, leaping and jumping, jostling and playing. Age didn’t matter! They were delighted to taste fresh grass and romp in open pastures.

“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.”
Malachi 4:2

Unleashing contains a sense of sudden even violent action that cannot be controlled — even to throw, shoot, or set in motion forcefully.

Once those cattle were unleashed from the pen, they would not easily return. They experienced open spaces and tasted fresh pasture. Limited confines no longer contained them. Dead grass no longer satisfied them.

This represents a frail example of how God unleashes His people.

Remember

As a result, God commands us to remember on a weekly basis His unleashing power. Enslaved by Egypt for over 400 years, Israel knew nothing of rest or freedom. Until God came. Suddenly, with violent force, God set in motion, with irreversible power, a taking of one nation out of another.

“You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commands you to keep the Sabbath day.”
Deuteronomy 5:15

Lois Tverberg writes,

“All of life’s rhythms were to revolve around celebrating the indescribable joy of the day when the whips ceased cracking, the shackles fell off, and the cell doors swung open toward freedom. Week after week, season after season, year after year God commanded Israel to remember his extravagant, rescuing love . . .”
Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus

God called them to remember, and never forget, His powerful act of grace and redemptive love.

Unleashed

Yet, this was only a foreshadowing of what would one day take place. In the most violent act in history, God sent his Son, Jesus, to die the cruelest of deaths to unleash His greatest act of rescuing love. With one mighty blow, He crushed the enemy’s hand forever. Through Jesus, God redeemed not just a nation, but people from all nations freeing them forever from the slavery of sin and death.

Who but God could do such a thing? No one!

When God spoke the word “unleashed” to me, He wanted me to remember, too. My shackles are off! I now have the ability to walk free — a slave no more. I often find this truth more viable for others, struggling to fully identify with what He has done.

Yes, we contend from what is ours. Yes, standing in freedom takes grit and perseverance. But freedom is ours! We must not forget.

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” Matthew 11:12 KJV

Live Free

God directs our gaze toward open gates. He leads us through open doors. But it is up to us to walk (or even run), taking our freedom. Perhaps it will take a violent or forceful act on our part to solidify that freedom.

So, I ask, where do I still feel the crack of the whip of other slave masters? Where am I living more bound than free? We all have areas awaiting God’s redemptive grace to move in. What is mine? What is yours?

He speaks His word, “unleashed,” over each of us. May we sense the freshness of what stands open before us. Today, may we drink the fresh water of His Spirit and eat from His open meadow of provision. May we hunger and thirst for His Presence like never before.

Now unleashed, He grants us freedom to either run to Him or away from Him. Only in Him will we taste true freedom, however.

Faithfulness And Kindness

God heard the cries of His people under the yoke of slavery in Egypt. He responded, unleashing them and setting them free. While His strong arm held back their enemies, His gentle compassion guided His people toward safety.

Centuries later, out of His faithfulness and kindness, God sent Jesus to again delivery, unleashing us from sin’s cruel bondage. I’m not sure we could ever comprehend such love and mercy.

“I don’t keep it a secret or hide the truth. I preach of your faithfulness and kindness, proclaiming your extravagant love to the largest crowd I can find!”
Psalm 40:10 TPT

May we tell of God’s great unleashing everywhere we go, to anyone who will listen. May we not hold such good news to ourselves. Like calves released from their pen, may we romp in the goodness of God’s vast pasture, never looking back.

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The Importance of Kindness

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment Christian Living, Inspirational Blog , , , , ,
The Importance of Kindness

A couple of recent messages, one positive and one negative, caused me to reconsider the importance of kindness at a personal level.

A few weeks ago, a friend messaged me about a dream she had about me. In the dream, I was being publicly congratulated for my many acts of kindness. Her message caused more than a little puzzlement. I honestly searched my memory bank for what the dream could be referring to. Had God’s supernatural seeds of kindness actually begun to grow in my life? I wasn’t convinced! Another option seemed more plausible. Perhaps the dream came to cause me to reconsider my ways and spur me toward a greater awareness of the importance of kindness.

More recently, someone else sent a message to confront the lack of kindness she sensed in me. No surprises there! Why? The qualities of gentleness, generosity, and consideration toward others which blend to form kindness seldom flow naturally from my life.

I have sometimes half heartedly joked about my absence when God handed out the gifts of mercy and compassion. While I see them so clearly in others, I struggle to see them here at ground zero — in me!

A small picture assumes a prominent place in my kitchen. It is a treasured gift from yet another friend. Engraved upon the face of the image is Aesop’s familiar phrase, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Unfortunately, the image often goes unnoticed.

Kindness Gives What is Needed

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Colossians 3:12-13

God purposefully centres kindness between the distinguished garments of compassion and humility.

The root of the Greek word for kindness bears the essence of “usefulness.” It often occurs alongside the concept of forgiveness or with another Greek word which we commonly translate philanthropy. The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament adds, “It is the grace which pervades the whole nature, mellowing all which would be seen as harsh and austere . . . having the harmlessness of a dove . . . It is the opposite of severity or cutting something short . . . The word is descriptive of one’s disposition.”

I stop and muse over that word — mellowing! Yes, mellowing would certainly be beneficial in me, to me, and through me to others.

Paul includes kindness among other attitudes of the heart, which we should intentionally “clothe” ourselves with — never to be found naked without them.

Kindness offers to others the reflection of God’s heart in the way they need it most.

The Kindness of God

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:32

God lovingly placed many kind souls in my path who clearly demonstrated His kindness through their attitudes, words, and actions. In spite of my unrefined, far-from-mellowed, overly jagged, and repulsively crude ways, they generously offered me those most useful and needed commodities of forgiveness, gentleness, goodness, and grace.

In fact, the kindness of God, displayed so lavishly in others, helped to lead me to Jesus. Their kindness caused me to turn my broken life over to Him. Paul explained the importance of kindness so well:

“Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”
Romans 2:4

One must never underestimate the importance of kindness. One finds the evidence of God’s kindness in every transformed life. Every soul that repents and turns their face humbly toward Him experiences it. Long-time enemies of God become His beloved children!

Jesus said,

“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Luke 6:35-36

A promised reward awaits everyone who emulates God’s kindness shown even to the ungrateful and wicked.

The Reward of Kindness

“Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”
Proverbs 21:21

Kindness implies a refining and purifying that matures into moral excellence — something that just keeps getting better with age. It’s like that “mellowing” we talked about, but better.

We look inward, knowing we have far to go to reach the moral excellence of kindness. God looks at us, however, and sees His continuing work in progress. In the centre of the list of the Holy Spirit’s fruit, we find kindness:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Galatians 5:22-23

If we quickly skim over these familiar verses, we easily miss a key element. The Holy Spirit supernaturally produces kindness, along with all the other fruit, in our lives. Yes, we play an important role by cooperating with what God is doing. Ultimately, however, He receives the credit for His development of His fruit in each of us.

Kindness is Spirit led! It begins with Him and comes only through His deep working in our lives. We reap the rewards only by His grace.

Activate Kindness

What if, like in my friend’s dream, God anxiously waits to commend us for kindness? What if failing to reflect His kind heart, as my second friend challenged, carries far more serious consequences than we think?

Understanding the importance of kindness forms the foundation. Activating kindness builds on that understanding. But how?

First, let’s pray, asking Holy Spirit for His supernatural movement, planting and watering kindness seeds within us, removing any remnants of the old crusty nature, and replacing it with tenderness and compassion.

Second, let’s focus on what others need? What would be the most “useful” thing we could offer? Do they need a helping hand or financial support? Perhaps, forgiveness stands as their greatest need. Maybe helping them develop a skill would prove most beneficial. Would a word or note of encouragement help carry them through a tough season? The greatest need any of us possess is the need for Jesus in our lives. Sharing our faith will always be the most useful and profitable thing we offer anyone.

Third, thank God for the mellowing with age and the building of moral excellence evident in you. Whether dramatic or subtle, recognize and thank Him for the supernatural shaping and movement toward kindness.

And fourth, remember

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted,”
Aesop

What God said first, Aesop reminded us of. Kindness affects others after it first affects us. May we never question the importance of kindness. May it flow from our continually transformed lives by the tender loving heart of God.

“Love is patient, love is kind . . .”
1 Corinthians 13:8

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