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"Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." (Colossians 3:12 NLT)
“I hate to ask, but we need to borrow a car,” our daughter-in-law muttered in an emotional-filled voice.
Had the request come from our daughter and her family, we would have thought little of it. We had helped our daughter many times—before and after she married—and numerous times since. Helping her family was typically convenient since they lived near us, except for the three years they lived in Arkansas. Even then, we made at least two trips per year and helped during the week we stayed with them.
Although our son and his family lived only an hour away, they rarely asked for help. Getting assistance from us was more inconvenient for them than convenient. Our daughter-in-law’s parents lived near them and usually gave whatever help they needed. But not this time.
As our daughter-in-law and her kids traveled down the highway through their small town, another driver pulled into the line of traffic, t-boning her car. Fortunately, no one was injured, but her car was undrivable. Our son’s insurance policy didn’t provide a rental car, so they had to wait for the offender’s insurance company to okay one. In the meantime, they needed a car.
Since my wife and I care for our aging parents—none of whom drive but who still had cars—we have a virtually used car lot at our house. Mom didn’t want us to drive her car on an out-of-state trip we planned to take the following weekend. A kindness denied. My old truck certainly wouldn’t do for someone with three kids. A kindness not possible.
But my mother-in-law had a nice van she wasn’t using—one that would shortly be ours.
“Ya’ll drive my van to the writer’s conference,” she said.
A kindness witnessed. The perfect solution. Now, our daughter-in-law could use our car, and we had a way to the writer’s conference. And this kind act cemented our relationship with our son and his family even more. After all, helping each other is what families should do.
God has clothed believers with Christ’s righteousness. Paul maintains that one way we demonstrate this to others is through kindness.
The ways we can show kindness to others are as varied and numerous as the stars in the heavens. Sometimes, it takes creativity on our part, and at other times, the way to do so is as plain as the nose on our faces. Taking our eyes off ourselves and slowing down typically helps us see the opportunities more clearly.
How about you? What are some ways you have shown kindness? Try to show at least one act of kindness daily. Father, give me eyes to see how I can demonstrate kindness.
Martin Wiles
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