#4 UNDERSTANDING LOVE: KINDNESS... LOVE IN ACTION!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV) Charity suffereth long, and is kind; ---
1 Corinthians 13:4 (NLT) Love is patient and kind. ---
1 Corinthians 13:4 (MSG) Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self.---
IF YOU CAN BE GREAT, THEN DO SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS IN A GREAT WAY.
KINDNESS IS KNOWN AS LOVE IN ACTION!
LOVE CONSIST OF SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS.
ISAIAH was a great, MAJOR PROPHET.
Isaiah is a great name in the Bible and his works were publicly read by Jesus.
Isaiah is an ELITE MAN OF GOD and is well known.
LET US MEET MICAH?
Who is Micah? He was a little no body ministering in the shadow of the great Isaiah.
Micah made his lessons so simple that the people understood what he was saying.
Micah 6:8 (KJV) He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of
thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Micah 6:8 (MSG) But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for
in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate
and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.
THE MINOR PROPHET HAD A MAJOR LESSON TO TEACH:
Slow down, love people and show kindness...
WHAT IS GOOD? DO JUSTICE and LOVE KINDNESS...
You will never know how one act of kindness will be remember for some small
act of kindness.
MOHANDAS GANDHI will be known through the history of India. Gandhi was born in the
cast system and was under the rule of Great Britain.
Gandhi was born Oct. 2, 1869 and died Jan. 30, 1948.
Gandhi was never a rich man nor did he serve in a big political office.
But history records GANDHI as a KIND MAN ---he practiced KINDNESS where ever his
journey lead him. Just little acts of kindness.
One day Gandhi was BOARDING A TRAIN, his sandal slipped off his foot and fell beside the
rail road tracks. There was no way Gandhi could retrieve his shoe.
Without thinking Gandhi took his other shoe and THREW IT BY THE TRACKS so it would land
near the other shoe? STRANGE?
Some one asked: WHY? WHY DID YOU DO THAT?
With a big smile Gandhi replied: THE POOR MAN WHO FINDS THE SHOE LYING BY THE
TRACK WILL NOW HAVE A GOOD PAIR OF SHOES.
MORE THAN 50 YEARS LATER PEOPLE STILL REMEMBER GANDHI FOR HIS MANY
ACTS OF SMALL KINDNESS!
WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED AS A KIND PERSON?
DO YOU RECALL THE NEEDS OF THE CHARACTERS IN WIZARD OF OZ?
Dorothy wanted to FIND HER WAY HOME...
The LION wanted courage.
The SCARECROW wanted a brain.
The TIN MAN desired a HEART.
I know people that live and talk without a brain.
You can make it through life without courage.
BUT LIFE IS VERY SAD WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES HARD HEARTED AND CRUEL.
Ephesians 4:32 (KJV) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32 (MSG) Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly
and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
THE COMPELLED MILE...
HAVE WE EVER HEARD OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE SECOND MILE?
DO WE PRACTICE GOING THE SECOND MILE?
Jews despised Roman soldiers. The Roman soldiers were mean and demanding of the Jews
and treated them dirty.
There was a LAW THAT THE JEWS HATED. If a Roman soldier demanded the Jew to carry his
back pack or a heavy load for a mile --- The Jew had to stop what ever they were doing and carry
the load for one mile. Often the Roman soldiers would refuse to carry their
loads they would just find a Jew and MAKE THEM CARRY THEIR LOAD. Then the Jew
would carry the load ONE MILE and then he would have to WALK THE MILE back to where
they started. Every Jew HATED THIS LAW. It was mean and not very considerate of what
the Jew was doing.
COMPEL: To drive or urge forcefully, cause with overwhelming pressure,
To force one to do something, to make something happen
THIS IS WHAT WE CALLED THE COMPELLED MILE --- WHAT WAS YOUR DUTY!
You do what you have to do because you have to... NO MORE!
Matthew 5:41 (KJV) And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Matthew 5:41 (NLT) If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.
Matthew 5:41 (MSG) And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to
practice the servant life.
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE MAN THAT REFUSED TO GO BEYOND HIS DUTY?
This man and his family rented a house in a good neighborhood. They loved the house and the
community. There were no trees around the house and absolutely no shade.
His wife asked the man: WHY DON'T WE WALK OVER IN THE WOODS AND DIG
UP SOME SMALL TREES AND PLANT THEM IN THE YARD? THIS WOULD BE VERY
EASY FOR US TO DO AT NO COST.
THE MAN STUBBORNING REFUSED EVERY YEAR. HE WOULD NOT PLANT ANY SHADE
TREES AND BENEFIT ANOTHER MAN'S PROPERTY.
Year after year the wife would ask, the man would refuse to set out any trees.
Every month for 25 years the man would faithfully pay his rent.
25 years he refused to plant a tree for shade around his rented house.
ONE DAY AFTER 25 YEARS OF PAYING RENT THE OLD LAND LORD MADE AN OFFER
TO SELL THE COUPLE THE HOUSE. NOW THE HOME BELONGED TO HIM.
GUESS, WHAT? THERE WERE NO BEAUTIFUL TREES IN THE YARD!
IF THE MAN HAD GONE A LITTLE BEYOND HIS DUTY, IF HE HAD INVESTED A LITTLE
EXTRA EFFORT --- IF HE HAD BEEN KIND AND PLANTED THOSE TREES, --- TODAY HIS
HOUSE WOULD HAVE HAD BIG, BEAUTIFUL TREES PROVIDING SHADE AND MAYBE
SOME FRUIT? IF ONLY HE HAD GONE THE SECOND MILE?
Maybe the best part of daily living is doing the little, menial, nameless, un-applauded,
un-remembered, un-noticed, un-appreciated chores and task with JOY.
KINDNESS IS LOVE IN ACTION!
LOVE IS KIND! WHAT DO YOU DO? WHY DO YOU DO IT?
LIFE IS ABOUT ATTITUDES --- I GLADLY DO --- I HAVE TO---
HERE IS A LIST OF THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO!
Galatians 5:22 (KJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22 (MSG) But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives,
much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance
about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the
heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves
involved in loyal commitments, 23 not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct
our energies wisely. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way.
A soldier served in Korea. There he met a beautiful lady and he decided to marry her and
bring her back to the USA. The soldier drank a lot and was at times abusive in treating his
wife. He would be cruel and mean to her. The lifestyles of the two were so much different.
The Korean lady love the USA and the modern gadgets.
The husband was a career military man and would be at the base and come home
drinking, screaming bad words for he was very disappointed at her work ethics.
He would scream and fuss at her and she would cry and cry. He would talk mean to her
and demand his meals hot and ready and the chores finished when he came home.
The more he yelled and demanded of her the more she would not do.
Finally he made a list of everything she had to do each day.
When they got up in the morning, she started the list and would place a check mark next to
each chore as she finished the task. She had to have to check it off.
She absolutely hated this mean man and all his stupid list. To keep peace, she did what she
had to do to please her husband. His meal would be hot and on the table when he got home.
The clothes washed and ironed, the cleaning was done but she was very bitter. He added more
and more to her list to do. Still, he screamed and cursed her and belittled her.
Several years later the husband had a serious heart attack and died. She mourned for him
but was almost glad he was gone. Some time late the beautiful Korean lady met another man
and they married. He was kind and wonderful to her. He loved her so much. He would bring
her flowers and candy and brag on her in public. He was so loving and thoughtful of her.
Never one time did he demand or raise his voice at her. She loved doing the house work and
would have him a wonderful meal prepared when he got home. She would have his house shoes
waiting and was eagerly awaiting for him at the door.
After several months of marriage the Korean lady found the "THE WORK LIST" of her
previous husband --- SHE WAS SO AMAZED, THE THINGS HER DEAD HUSBAND FORCED
HER TO DO, SHE NOW DID THE SAME THINGS EVERY DAY, NOT OUT OF FORCE BUT
RATHER OUT OF LOVE.
She sat down and pondered: WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE? ONE HUSBAND FORCED HER?
NOW SHE DID ALL THOSE THINGS AND MORE BECAUSE SHE LOVED TO DO IT!
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT PAY IT FORWARD OR RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS?
WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO THE LEAST OF THESE --- GOD MAKES GOOD NOTES...
Matthew 25:40 (KJV) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it
unto me.
GOD ALSO MAKES NOTES WHEN WE REFUSE TO BE KIND!
Matthew 25:45 (KJV) Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch
as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
DO WE REALLY UNDERSTAND LOVE HINGES ON KINDNESS...
THE GOLDEN RULE SAYS GRAB THE INITIATIVE AND DO KINDNESS FOR OTHERS.
Matthew 7:12 (KJV) Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye
even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Matthew 7:12 (MSG) "Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you
want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and
Prophets and this is what you get.
WHAT EVER YOU DO ADD KINDNESS TO YOUR DAILY CHOICES
2 Peter 1:7 (KJV) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2 Peter 1:7 (MSG) warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and
developing the others.
Conclusion:
BY KINDNESS YOU WILL REVEAL THE HEART OF GOD AND OIVERCOME THE
NEGATIVE...
1 Peter 2:15 (KJV) For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the
ignorance of foolish men:
1 Peter 2:15 (MSG) It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the
fools who think you're a danger to society.
I have been amazed to see this verse work. I have seen this verse work with my own
eyes. I have a neighbor that attends a church that teaches they are the only ones going
to heaven. They have always been distant to me and I could never reach them. I heard
their riding lawn mower was broken. One day I mowed their grass. They were gone and did
not know who mowed it? The next week the part for their lawn mower was ordered but did not
make it to the shop. I quietly mowed the grass. The elderly lady saw me, she came out and
gave me some tomatoes and told me they wondered who the angel was
that had mowed their grass? I mowed their grass a third time. We have yards several acres
here. The man of the house was very sick, they called me and asked me to come over.
I picked the man up and carried him to my car and rushed them to the hospital. After weeks
in the hospital he finally came home. The grass had grown. I mowed the grass several
times. I took food I cooked 3 times a week... Their adult son that lives a distance away
came to my house and thanked me for my KINDNESS to his parents. We both had tears
of joy. Today, because of small acts of kindness I have some fans that love and respect
me and we both love Jesus. Kindness is music to the soul.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Could you please pass this on to another?
