A dear friend, Heather, who has faced much adversity in her life shared this recently on Facebook and I am sharing it with you so that you too may be blessed. To God be the Glory!
Heather has had serious, life threatening, health issues and has been victorious and has overcome them by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of her testimony! She has stood firmly in faith upon the Word of God! She and her husband are vibrant Christians and are in full time ministry.
Revelation 12:11 KJV – “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
Following is what she wrote:
“When I was in Kindergarten my best friend, Angie, brought a guest to school one day. She was a small girl with lots of curly blond hair. The minute I saw her I was wary. Who is that girl with MY friend? I suddenly saw my plans of spending my day with Angie vanishing. I felt replaced. I wondered how long this girl had been Angie’s friend. This all went through my head while we were standing by the coat rack taking off our winter layers.
Then, I heard Angie tell the girl, “It’s Ok, you can take it off. No one will laugh.” She turned to me and said, “Heather, this is my friend.” She must have seen a look on my face because she told me, “She needs a friend and everyone needs to be nice.” Suddenly the new girl reached up and slowly pulled off her pretty blond hair and put it in Angie’s cubby. Angie glared at the group of us standing there and said quietly, “She’s fighting cancer.” With that admonishment my best friend put her arm around the new girl’s shoulders and walked into the classroom.
As the rest of us followed, I found myself a bit ashamed of my selfishness. Angie was officially the kindest person I knew and I felt honored to be ONE of her friends. There was not a single incident of rude behavior from any of us in Mrs. Pullman’s Kindergarten class that day…because kindness leads.
When I was in first grade, a homeless cat had kittens in our garage. The first clue that they were there was a sweet little “meow” coming from behind our freezer. My brothers freed two of them from their hiding place without any coaxing, but the littlest one was stranded and I was just sure it was afraid for its life!
I tried for the better part of an hour, but I couldn’t reach it. I couldn’t coax it with a cat’s most famous delights (a bowl of milk and a ball of yarn, of course!) I lay down with my cheek to the floor and tried to see it with one eye. At last, it moved toward me just a step and I pulled it to safety. I snuggled it, kissed it, and pretty much taught it everything I knew before supper. Looking back I wonder how it survived my great love. Even though every time I put it down it retreated behind the freezer again, I kept trying…because kindness leads.
So, if kindness leads, where does the Kindness of God lead us? It is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance. He knows that kindness is a forever-gift; a priceless treasure made possible by His own sacrificial love. His kindness then,leads us to more kindness. The trust developed is never taken advantage of. His kindness leads us to His heart.
Romans 2:4—“….the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.”
Dear reader, I encourage you, take one step toward Him. Let Him pull you out of that place that has been a shelter only because it is familiar. Be willing to be uncomfortable in His warm and loving embrace. Let Him change you!
Let His Kindness lead.
Praise the Lord!
*Other scriptures about kindness:
Psalm 117:2 NKJV – “For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever.”
Proverbs 19:22—“What is desired in a man is kindness…”
Proverbs 31:26—“She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.”
Isaiah 54:8—“But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the Lord, your Redeemer.”
Isaiah 54:10—“For the mountains shall depart, And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you…”
Colossians 3:12-14—“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 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.”
Galatians 5:22-25—“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”