Kindness, part 2

Oops. I said yesterday that I’d been struggling with kindness lately. To be more, um… well… honest, I’ve been struggling with kindness for more than a decade. Way more than a decade, if you must know. I really thought that I would have conquered how to be kind in all circumstances by now. [sigh] After all, I’ve been praying about this for a very, very, very long time:

Lord, I know I should be nice. You tell me to love, to be kind, to forgive. I need your help! Puh-leese help me be more kind:

·         [family & friends] I’m too tired to care; their choices made my life harder...

·         [church] so-and-so offended me, no one seems to care…

·         [work] a co-worker broke my trust…

·         [in public] Hey! That guy’s paying for 30 items in the 15-item line…

I’m sure you get the idea. Every day brings a renewed struggle to be kind, and there always seems to be at least one relationship in which I’m falling short. (I’m always falling short, but again, that’s the point. Jesus is the only human who never fell short!)

This weekend, it dawned on me that I’ve been approaching this “be more kind” struggle all wrong. I’ve been focused on ME (my behavior, my sins) instead of focusing on the One who is always kind.

Instead of desperately listing my every fault (or the faults of others around me), I’ve started to pray with a focus on what’s right, true, and good instead:

Father, Thank you for always being kind. I want to see what is true, right, and lovely. Give me eyes to see YOU instead of me. I ask that you cause everyone I interact with to see Jesus through me. Cause his light to shine brightly through me in each relationship. I trust you and know you are able to do much more than I ask. May my focus be on you (instead of myself). You are absolutely everything I need. I love you so much. Thanks for listening and always loving me. In Jesus’ name…

Today’s verses: Philippians4:6-9