Be Ye Kind
Ephesians 4:31-32
Being kind pays in unexpected ways.
There were once two young men working their way through Leland Stanford University. Their funds got desperately low, and the idea came to one of them to engage the pianist, Paderewski for a piano recital and devote the profits to their board and tuition. The great pianist's manager asked for a guarantee of two thousand dollars. The students, undaunted, proceeded to stage the concert. They worked hard, only to find that the concert had raised only sixteen hundred dollars. After the concert, the students sought the great artist and told him of their efforts and results. They gave him the entire sixteen hundred dollars, and accompanied it with a promissory note for four hundred dollars, explaining that they would earn the amount at the earliest possible moment and send the money to him.
"No," replied Paderewski, "that won't do." Then tearing the note to shreds, he returned the money and said to them: "Now, take out of this sixteen hundred dollars all of your expenses, and keep for each of you 10 percent of the balance for your work, and let me have the rest." The years rolled by---years of fortune and destiny. Paderewski had become Premier of Poland. The devastating war came, and Paderewski was striving to feed the thousands of starving people in his beloved Poland. There was only one man in the world that could help Paderewski and his people.
Thousands of tons of food began to come into Poland for distribution by the Polish Premier. After the starving people were fed, Paderewski journeyed to Paris to thank Herbert Hoover for the relief sent him. "That's all right, Mr. Paderewski," was Mr. Hoover's reply. "Besides, you don't remember it, but you helped me once when I was a student at college and I was in a hole."
Even though Mr. Paderewski didn't know he would one day need their help, he was kind and loving toward the young men when they didn't have enough money. His kindness didn't go unnoticed and was later repaid just when he needed it.
We saw yesterday that a characteristic of the earthly ministry of Christ was humility. Everything He did was done through a humble heart that sought to glorify the Lord. Another characteristic of Jesus was His kindness.
In reading the Scriptures, you can't help but notice the Lord's kindness on the poor, weak, sick, and less fortunate people during His time. While some people ridiculed or avoided the poor, Christ reached out to them. When the sick were cast out of the city, Jesus went to them and healed them. His kindness was not reserved for the scholars, rich, or religious people of the day; but He displayed kindness to everyone He met.
As Christians, we are to be characterized by kindness as well. But how often do we rush about our day and neglect those who need our help? How many times have you reacted harshly or said unkind words to someone else? Even if they do not deserve your kindness, be kind to them because Christ has been kind to you.
As you seek to live for God today, remember Ephesians 4:32, "But be ye kind one to another..." Seek to live today with kindness and let others see the loving kindness of God through your life.
Daily Bible Reading
Psalm 66-67 | Romans 7
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