The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

The Greek word is chrestos (khrase-TOS).

You might be thinking, “So how does this affect me today?”
The answer is that it greatly, greatly affects you today.

The English translation is “kind.” I am looking at Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). The basic thought of being kind is to act graciously, to act in goodness, to be pleasant in our actions.

When situations are joyous, be kind!
When circumstances are stressful, be kind!
When people are prickly, be kind!
When folks are impatient, be kind!
When it seems the most difficult to do, ask the Lord to help you to be the most Christlike by being kind.

Here’s a thought to send you on your way. Anyone can get even; live differently! Be kind.

I guess you might say that I am feeling somewhat nostalgic today. It was about this time of the year in the year 1971 when I became the student pastor of the Volunteers of America chapel. I was in my junior year at the Practical Bible Training School in Johnson City, New York. The precious group of twenty-five to thirty met for church every Sunday night on the corner of Exchange and Susquehanna streets in downtown Binghamton.

These dear folks taught me so much. The list would be very lengthy, but here are a few things so clearly demonstrated by those dear believers many years ago.

1. Knowing the Lord Jesus brings genuine joy.
2. Material possessions do not bring lasting happiness.
3. Relationships are much more precious than things.
4. Loving God’s Word and seeking to please Him is life’s greatest blessing.
5. Encouraging their young student pastor was an investment in the future churches I would pastor.

It was there I learned to pray about the messages, seek the Lord’s leading, and learn to write sermons every week.
It was there I had the supreme joy of preaching every Sunday night.
It was there that I had my first funeral.
It was there my bride would join me, and the church family loved her dearly.

All this makes me think of what Paul wrote to the believers at Philippi. “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now” (Philippians 1:3-5).

Take a few moments to think back to those folks who invested in your life. Thank the Lord for them and perhaps today, you might also thank them.

“Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding” (Psalm 47:6-7).

As the wickedness of the world’s people increases at every turn, there is something else that should be increasing! You read of it in our verses today. In spite of what is happening in the world, and while we should be very concerned about the people of the world, our praises to the Lord should be getting bigger and bigger!

We can consistently sing praises to the Lord because He really is the King.
He really is in charge!
I am so delighted to belong to Him.
Whatever you and I might face today, we do not face it alone. We do not face situations that are taking the Lord by surprise and that are out of His control.
He has promised to be with us always.
He will never leave us or forsake us.

So, in the hard days as well as happy days, we sing to the Lord and praise His holy name. May this be true of us today.

“If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye: for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified” (1 Peter 4:14).

I was very, very young when I first learned the glorious truth that the Lord Jesus is coming again. I may not have been very tactful as a pre-teen, but I was so excited that I went next door in my neighborhood with the wonderful truth that the Lord Jesus is coming again. I was crushed that my message of the second coming wasn’t well received!  The Bible says so and they needed to know! It was my first tiny, tiny taste of being “reproached.”

To be honest with you, I have tasted very little of genuine reproach compared to the severe price other believers are paying around the world. This I do know for sure, whatever we face for the witness of Christ, may we have the reaction of which Peter spoke. We need to remember what our Savior experienced and count it a joy whatever we might experience for His name.

It is still the same today: Through the ages, God’s people have stood and been willing to suffer reproach. May we have the same grace to do the same thing.

This question is one that I have thought of so many times. I am still in awe of this.

“What is man that Thou art mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:4).

Let me take you to three different scenes today. In scene one we find a middle school teacher who reaches out to a struggling student and offers to help. That student can’t believe his teacher even notices him.

In scene two we find a police officer who, out of his own funds, purchases warm socks, shoes, and clothing for a homeless man who refuses to go to a shelter. The homeless man looks up as the officer bends down and says, “Friend, I really wish you would reconsider that shelter. I’ll drive you there right now. But even if you don’t, here’s something warm to wear.” The homeless man couldn’t believe that the officer even noticed him, let alone cared about him.

Those are wonderful; however, I’ve saved the best until last. In scene three we find King David rejoicing that the very God Who created everything stoops way down to think about him and care for him. The teacher and police officer were great to reach out and be thoughtful. But just think about this glorious fact: the Lord of all creation thinks about you. You are on His mind. How wonderful is that?

For today: How will the fact that you are on God’s mind impact your life today?