And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32
The Apostle Paul gives us a great reminder of how we should live as Christians in three commands and a powerful reason why. Let’s examine this verse a little closer for a moment.
First, is the instruction to be kind to one another. Kindness is that word that tells us to show compassion, to be helpful and to be thoughtful. Being kind is easy when kindness is being shown to us, yet our call to be kind extends further than that, we’re to be kind even when we do not receive it in return. Now it’s true that some people are just downright mean and hateful, but some may be unkind because of what they are experiencing in their lives right now. It could very well be that our act of kindness might be what they need to change their attitude about things. Mark Twain once said, “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
The second instruction is for us to be tenderhearted. This does not mean we are weak or to be a push over, but it does mean we are sensitive to the situation. It ties back with kindness, in that we are gentle with how we respond. Jerry Bridges said it this way "Both gentleness and meekness are born of power, not weakness." We are really showing ourselves to be the stronger party when acting with gentleness because it takes more power to control our responses than to just let them lose.
The final instruction is to forgive one another. This can be a difficult one, especially when the other party never acknowledges that they have done anything wrong. Yet, we are still instructed to forgive them. Now forgiveness does not mean that we act like nothing ever happened or that we must let them just have free access back into our lives. In many cases that would allow them to continue to do harm to us. Instead, it releases us from becoming bitter towards them. It allows us to move on in freedom from the weight of their actions.
Why are we able to do all these things, Paul gives it to us simply, because Christ has forgiven us. When we pause and consider what we have been forgiven by our Savior, and what He went through on our behalf, we see things from a different perspective, nothing we experience will ever compare with what He did for us. So, if the one who cried “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing” as he hung on the cross, we too can show kindness, be tenderhearted, and offer forgiveness. Not that it is easy, instead, we are strong enough through the power of Christ to do so.
~ Insights for the Journey is a weekly devotional from Pastor Christopher Clark to engage, encourage and equip believers in their Christian journey. This devotional and others can also be found on our website: www.cordovabc.org/insights_for_the_journey. ~
