Kindness!!!

Who is the hardest person in your life to be kind to?

Today, we’ll explore the deeper call of Christian kindness with host Stephanie Alessi Muiña as she unpacks Jesus’ teaching from Luke 6. Together, we’ll discover why choosing kindness, especially toward those who challenge or frustrate us, reflects God’s heart more clearly than anything else. From everyday encounters with strangers to tough moments with family, we’re learning how small, gentle acts can sow seeds of grace and open hearts.

Join our community in prayer and devotion as we ask God for patience and compassion to extend true kindness, becoming a reflection of His love to everyone around us.

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Transcript

Speaker: 0:00

You're listening to the My Morning Devotional podcast, episode 1548. Today's Devo is called Kindness. Exclamation point, exclamation point, exclamation point. Hey there. We're the Alessies, a ministry family working together in our church in Miami, Florida. And if you're like us, when days get busy and to do lists get longer, it can be hard to find devotional time. That's why we've partnered with our friend Allison to produce a five minute daily dose of heaven. This is the My Morning Devotional Podcast. Happy Wednesday, everybody. My name is Stephanie Moena, and it is my honor and privilege to be here today sharing this wonderful diva with you. Let's dive into it. I am reading Luke 6:32 through 36 in the NIV version, and it says, if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And let's skip forward a little bit, but love your enemies, be good to them and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful to just as your Father is merciful. Amen. Today I want to talk about how Christian kindness is the most visible when it's given to people who don't deserve it. Oof. Oof. Let me say it again. Christian kindness is most visible when it's given to people who don't deserve it. Because it's easy to be kind to people who are kind to us. It's easy to be patient with people who we enjoy being around. It's easy to smile at people who make our day better. Like, it's easy to smile at the person making my coffee in the morning. Whether that's Starbucks or my husband or my sister. I will for sure smile at them because I want them to make coffee for me again tomorrow. So you see, it's a give and take. But the real test of our character isn't how we treat the people that we like. It's how we treat the people that we don't. The co worker who constantly get on your nerves. The person who speaks harshly to you. You know who you are. The family member who drains your patience. The stranger who is rude for no reason, AKA all of Miami, Florida. The person whose values are completely different from yours. Anyone can be kind when it's easy. But followers of Jesus are called to be kind even when it's difficult. One of the most surprising things about Jesus is who he showed kindness towards. He was kind to tax collectors, guys, to sinners, to people who doubted him, to people who misunderstood him. Even while hanging on the cross, he prayed for the people who were killing him. Why? Because Jesus understood something that we often forget. Kindness is not a reward for good behavior. It's a reflection of God's character. If kindness is only reserved for the people we think deserve it, then it's not really biblical kindness. The world is kind to friends. Jesus calls us to be kind to everyone. Jesus calls us to be kind to to our enemies. You know, I know that some of us may be asking, why should we even be kind? Why can't I put my foot down and finally just give it back to that mean waiter who was rude to me all day? Well, first, because every person is made in the image of God. Even that rude person who almost crashed into your car this morning. Even if they don't believe in God, even if they reject God, even if they frustrate us, every person we meet carries value because God created them. And second, because kindness can soften hearts in ways our arguments never will. Listen, I am an argumentative person. I'm just going to be real with you guys. I am disagreeable at times. I love a good argument. I love a good session of fisticuffs with my words. But it never works. It never works. The arguments will not get your point across. It will not make you look smarter. It will not make you convince that person to believe what you believe. But you know what will? Kindness. Because people may forget what you and I say, but they often remember how we treated them. And finally, because we received kindness from God ourselves before we knew God. He was patient with us before we even followed Him. He loved us. Before we deserved grace. He gave it to us. We extend kindness because kindness has first been extended to us. So today ask yourself, who is that person that I find hardest to be kind to? Maybe God is inviting you to reflect his character to that person this week. You don't have to agree with them. You don't have to agree with everyone. And you don't have to approve of everything that they do. But you can choose kindness. A gentle response, a patient attitude, a thoughtful word, a moment of grace. These small acts often reveal Christ more clearly than we realize. And remember to extend it to the one that you don't want to extend it to at all. And watch how slowly Their heart will open up to you. How they will start to be kind back towards you. You know, Sow seeds of righteousness and you will receive a harvest of righteousness. Sow seeds of kindness and you will receive a harvest of kindness. I told my husband the other day that when I'm a mom going out alone to the grocery store, to wherever, I receive so many people coming out to help me. Because if I'm out amongst strangers, if I'm with my friends, I'm going to always extend a helping hand. Let me put your stroller in the trunk for you. Let me help you carry your groceries. Let me help you pick this up off the floor. And can I tell you, I do believe that God returns that back to me. It's not karma, it's the Lord allowing me to experience a harvest of kindness and righteousness because I've been actively sowing those seeds of kindness and righteousness. So that's my challenge to you today. Be kind to everyone, but especially to those that might frustrate you and allow your kind words to soften their hearts so that you can be a reflection of Jesus to them. Let's pray. God, we thank you so much for all you're doing in our lives and we thank you for the kindness that you have shown us. Thank you for loving us even when we were far from you. Help us to reflect that same kindness to the people around us today. Give us patience with those who annoy us. And Lord, give us grace towards those who are rude to us and compassion towards those who don't know you yet. Teach us to see people the way you see them, Lord. And let our words, God, let our attitude, let our actions point others towards Christ. And in Jesus name we pray. Amen. So there you have it. Your 5 minute daily dose of heaven. Thank you so much for tuning in today. We pray these devotionals empower you to take on your day. If you found value in this devotional, share it with a friend. Leave a comment or review for us on the app you're using right now. Until tomorrow, we pray that your latte is strong, but your love for Jesus is stronger.