September 5, 2024
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.—Ephesians 4:32
Kindness is one of the priceless treasures of life; it provides that touch that lets someone else know that they are special and loved. Everyday acts of kindness that reflect My love to others—a smile, a word of encouragement, words of appreciation—are acts of love, and no act of love is ever lost or forgotten.
Loving-kindness is a tangible way that My love for others can be manifested through you—often through simple everyday actions, which reflect a tenderness in your heart that is reaching out to show that person that you care—and ultimately that I care for them.
Take the time to show My love for others through intentional acts of kindness, and don’t let these be choked out by the busyness of everyday life or the tares of many cares and responsibilities. Where kindness thrives, there is love; and where there is love, My light shines to those around you and draws them to Me.
As you reflect My loving-kindness through your words and deeds, and look at those you encounter each day with love and care, My love overflows on others. As you encourage others and show your acceptance of them and manifest a spirit of tolerance and caring, you can fan the embers of faith in someone’s life and a desire to experience My love. Everyone needs encouragement, and your words of kindness show others that you care about them personally—you care about their lives and their burdens.
Do you love Me? Feed My sheep (John 21:17). You can feed My sheep not only by sharing My written Word, but by acts of kindness and caring words and tangible actions that demonstrate My great love for them. Whatever you do to one of the least of My brethren, you do as unto Me (Matthew 25:40). So take the time to show others that I care about them by your kind words and actions.
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. … If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.—James 2:1, 8
Love without partiality accepts that each person is unique and all people were equally created by their Maker. To love others without partiality is to love people with My love—no matter who they are, their past, or where they are at in their lives.
It is natural to have more feelings of affinity and friendship for one person than for another—and that in itself is not being partial, as long as you are willing to love your neighbor as yourself, whoever that may be. As you pray and ask Me for My help to love that person—even those who are more difficult to relate to—and then go ahead by faith, you are loving without partiality, and this is pleasing to Me.
Everyone needs encouragement and appreciation, and when you give it freely, you become a channel for My love to flow through to that person. So give and pour out. Freely you have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8)! Let My Spirit work through you to touch the lives of those around you.
Be faithful to show appreciation and kindness to the people you encounter in your daily life: the waiter, the garbage collectors, the shop owners, the cashiers, the nurses and doctors. Let them know how appreciative you are of their labors. Thank them and show them My love for them.
Sometimes people don’t take the time to notice the many blessings that come their way through others’ actions and sacrifices. Ask Me to open your eyes to those around you and to help you see them and show your care for them through your words of appreciation.
Be a vessel of My lovingkindness to your family and friends. Just stop for a moment and look at that person and let Me speak to your heart about all their good qualities, the things they do that are special, that light up your life and make your load easier and give you a reason to live and joy in your heart.
Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.—Luke 6:38
There’s not one person on earth who doesn’t need encouragement and appreciation. Everyone needs to know that they’re noticed, that the things they do make a difference, that it matters to somebody.
Even just a few words of appreciation can go far to make somebody’s day, to help pull them out of a negative mood or to overcome discouragement or depression. Many people think negatively about themselves or their situations, and these thoughts can loom before them as an almost unconquerable mountain.
So make it a personal project, even a hobby, to appreciate those around you. Give, and it will be given unto you! You can help to lighten someone’s load, ease their burdens, cheer their hearts, and relieve their discouragement. You can help bring sweet relief by your kind actions and words of appreciation.
No one is past falling into discouragement at one time or another. By showing My kindness, you may be saving a life and giving strength to those who have lost hope. You will never lose by reaching out with kind words and heartfelt appreciation to those around you.
Receive this commission joyfully, and let Me guide you throughout the day to express My love and care for others. There are many things you can do each day that will make a difference, such as lending a listening ear, going out of your way to lighten another person’s load and to do a kind deed.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.—Philippians 4:8
This is My commandment, that you love others as yourself, that you appreciate others as you yourself wish to be appreciated. “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4), and see how you may be a blessing to them.
Your ministry is not only to the world, but also to the dear ones by your side, your brothers and sisters in Me, your co-workers who also lay down their lives for Me daily, who have also taken up their cross to follow Me.
Appreciation of others begins with your thoughts. As you think positive and uplifting thoughts about your co-workers and neighbors, this results in positive attitudes and actions. Ponder on people’s strong points—their love and service for Me, how hard they work, the sacrifices they make, their cheerfulness in the face of affliction, their faith in the midst of adversity, their love for the lost and their dedication to My cause.
My Word instructs you to dwell on the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, and a part of that is to think of the virtues of others and the things for which they deserve praise. As I have loved you, so I have called you to love one another (John 15:12). Express your appreciation for others and take the opportunity to encourage them. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matthew 7:12).
Your words of appreciation and kindness could be the very words that will help someone through a difficult time and give them the courage to fight on. By your genuine appreciation, you can lend others a helping hand, come to their aid, and give them strength, hope, and encouragement.
Originally published in August 1998 and June 1999. Adapted and republished September 2024. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso. Music by Michael Dooley.
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