Be Kind: But Are We?

Most recently, my neighborhood Facebook Page had some controversy pertaining to children who were seen in a pavilion area. Accusations were made by older adults that the children were vandalizing the ceiling fan in the pavilion by throwing rocks at the motor and hanging off the fan blades! Older adults took pictures and it is alleged that they posted those pictures on the Facebook Community Page without the parent’s permission. It is also alleged that public shaming ensued from the older adults. I never saw the post as it was removed by the Administrator of the page.

Wow! That is a lot of drama for our little community! At the same time, the “Be Kind” movement is all around our town with families and businesses hanging “Be Kind” signs on their front porches as well as in their businesses. I personally have one of those signs on my front porch as well as in my office. I love them and it is a constant reminder to me of The Great Commandment as written in Matthew 22:34-40:

^“34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. ³⁵ And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” ³⁷ And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the great and first commandment. ³⁹ And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Notice, Jesus commanded us to love God first, and then love our neighbors. This means to “Be Kind” to our neighbors.

It also reminds me of this verse, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12). This of course is known as The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you” (Luke 6:31). In other words, “Be Kind.”

Getting back to the neighborhood drama. I tried to add some advice about being kind and I wrote the following: “Why not try love? Why not try to love your neighbor’s as you love yourself? Just my opinion. But I would highly recommend that you try to show love to fellow neighbors.” Then, I followed up with one last thought. “Anyone can have a “Be Kind” sign on the front porch. I have one. But that sign doesn’t change the heart condition of people. The only thing that can change the heart is God Almighty! Only through Him can one truly love another person.”

Shortly after that, one resident accused me of proselytizing!  As a Christian Minister of the Gospel, I will always speak the truth and will not compromise my stand to cower to the politically correct. The “Be Kind Movement” is grounded in Biblical roots.

Hearts cannot be changed just because one places a sign on the home or in their business. We were all born into sin, have a sinful nature, and we all deserve death because of our carnal nature. But the one person, the one power that can transform hearts into being a loving person is God Almighty, our Heavenly Father, the Prince of Peace, Redeemer, Savior, Deliverer, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Good Shepherd, Great Physician, our Creator, the Maker of Heaven and Earth; Jehovah, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Only through Christ Jesus can one be saved, and his or her heart transformed, so that one can love their fellow human beings who share this Earth.

Be Kind means that we love our neighbor as ourselves. Be Kind means that we want the best for others and will do what we can to help them. If one truly can “Be Kind” to their neighbor, then most likely they love God with all their soul, with all their heart, and with all their mind. This is what “Be Kind” really means. We as men and women do not have the power in our own selves to overcome the carnal nature and hatred, but only through Christ Jesus.

Unfortunately, I do not think there will be any forgiveness or resolution unless people are willing to allow God to change their hearts. As I mentioned before, the condition of the heart causes men and women to hate and not be kind. We should all be praying that God will change hearts and transform them into loving men and women. I also pray that people will come to Christ Jesus and repent from their sins.

I will end with this last verse. 1 John 1:9 reads, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Copyright © February 11, 2020. Marketplace Evangelism Today, a Publication of Marketplace Evangelism Ministries Inc. All Rights Reserved.