Try A Little Kindness! (Hix)

Colossians 3:12-13-Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

Have you heard this statement before? “Is that what your wearing?”

Or what about this one? “Dress for success!” or “Clothes make the man!”

Mankind is fascinated with clothes, people make a good living designing clothes!

We have T.V. programs dedicated to fashion, there are stores and all they sell are clothes!

Data for 2011 yearly expense on clothes-0.8% Men clothes

1.5% Women clothes

0.7% Shoes

Data for 2013-The amount of money that Americans spend on clothing each year varies. It is believed that the total is about 82 million dollars per year. Most people spend about $1,500 on clothing per year.

The Apostle Paul wants us to be concerned about what we wear out in public, even though he has talked about what Christians are to wear as far as clothing and accessories, but now he is dealing with not just our outward appearance but also our inward appearance!

Put On Tender Mercies, Kindness, Humility, Meekness, Longsuffering

These are the things Paul wants Christians to put on!

These things, are things we decide to put on, we make the choice to put on!

You decide, if you are going to be merciful to others!

It’s your decision, if you are going to be kind or not!

It’s your decision, if you are going to humble or boastful!

It’s your decision, if you are going to be submissive or assertive!

You may not always feel these things, or feel like doing these things, but go ahead and “put them on” even if it is temporarily.

I’m sure there have been times, when you have looked at piece of clothing and was not sure you would like it, but then you tried it on, and it was so comfortable, and it fit just right, that you didn’t want to take it off!

Well, then put on Tender Mercies, Kindness, Humility, Meekness, Longsuffering and see how that feels and see how others look at you!

You may think that seems hypocritical,” but it’s not.

Even if you are being kind, to someone who has not been kind to you, or you are being submissive, or longsuffering, or forgiving towards someone and you are not sure if you are doing it because you are required too, or because you want to!

Just remember, you can’t always control the way you feel, but you can control the way you act.

That is not being a hypocrite, that is doing what God wants you to do!

When you submit to is required of you as Christian, you will find out, that there is a reward that you will receive, that is greater than any thing temporal that the world can offer.

A act of kindness, or patience, or being forgiving, can not impact your life in a positive way, but also impact the person or persons, you are dealing with!

Your small act of kindness may have eternal benefits, it may have lasting impact long after the deed is done!

Mamie Adams always went to a branch post office in her town because the postal employees there were friendly. She went there to buy stamps just before Christmas one year and the lines were particularly long. Someone pointed out that there was no need to wait in line because there was a stamp machine in the lobby. "I know," said Mamie, 'but the machine won't ask me about my arthritis."

Acts Of Kindness:

Walter-Willing to go visit Josh with me in jail.

Tuesday-Sent Josh a card and letter.

Dee-Wanted to know if I wanted her to send money, or a card, letter.

I can’t count all of the kind deeds, that this church as a group, and individuals, has done for my family and myself.

But even greater than that, is seeing all the things, you have done for each other, and for people you didn’t even know, but you knew the situation and you reached out with love and compassion.

The man I gave lift to the gas station-April of last year he had a 2nd stroke and was in the hospital and they told him, he would be there for a while, and he told the doctor and the nurse, that he need to get home, that his wife was bedridden and there was nobody to take care of her. The nurse came back in, a few minutes and asked him, if she could pray for him, and he said yes.

The next day, he was able to walk out of the hospital and go be with his wife.

He said, “She lived two more weeks, at least I got to spend that time with her!”