Be Kind

-

I'm on the JV Team.  I'm second string.  I willingly gave up that star position the day I became a grandparent...well...actually the day my children married.  My input has changed greatly from the person doing the child-rearing to being a consultant on retainer.

So...now...I happily cheer on my children and their spouses as they are "in the trenches" training future responsible members of society. 

There are many lessons to be taught: honesty, obedience, purity, respect--just to name a few.

Our son, daughter-in-law along with three of our ten grandchildren have been staying with us for three months.  Soon they will be returning to a place far away to serve the Lord.  But for now, we love having them in our home.  This gives me a front row seat to see wonderful parenting in action.

Which brings me to my daughter-in-law.  Our daughter-in-law has sonar hearing.  The other day she spoke in a controlled tone from the upstairs bedroom to the family room in the lower level these words, "Be Kind."  She was speaking to her two oldest children ages 7 and 5.    They were headed in a direction she knew was not productive.  

Be Kind...two very powerful words yet simplistic.  

These two words are so powerful that many Christian books are fully dedicated to them.  Some of these books wholly focus on all the "Be's" of the Bible. 

Here's a few Be's:
  • Be strong and courageous.
  • Be merciful
  • Be on your guard
  • Be devoted to one another
  • Be joyful
  • Be patient
  • Be thankful.
  • Be wise
  • Be self-controlled.
  • Be hospitable.
  • Be obedient.
  • Be content with what you have.
  • Be Kind
In Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV) it says to get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 

Yup...Be Kind...when I heard these words spoken as a loving reminder to my grandchildren--they resonated in my own heart.  I too need to be reminded of this very thing...Be Kind.  I no longer have a parent instructing me--I am my parent.  

So...today...I'm yelling down the stairs...Be Kind.  I hope I heard me! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Waiting Room

-
Image
"Wait!" "Have a seat, I’ll be with you in a minute." "It's going to be a 45 minute wait to be seen." We have all heard these phrases.  Even as I write this, I’m reminded of the cold, hard reality that if I’m left too long in  the waiting room ...it doesn't bring out my best qualities. Waiting has never been my strength and while we’re at it...neither is sharing space or taking turns. A few months ago, I found out that our family is getting new health insurance.  I was not excited about this.   It’s not that I’m overly loyalty to any insurance brand, but my family doctor for the past eight years, has won me over with her promptness in seeing patients within minutes of their appointment time and sometimes even before the scheduled appointment.  I will go so far as to say that she has a “zero” wait time in her office. Now, I'm sure you think I’m exaggerating…and I may be just a bit, but there has been many times in my years with thi
Read more

A Bright Light

-
Image
We have an electrical problem at our house.  If the TV, fireplace and garage lights are all on at the same time, and then I try to blow dry my hair--it's not gonna work.  When this happens, I have to go out to the cold dark garage to find the breaker box.  There have been a few times when I actually went out into the darkness and kept moving in the general direction of the breaker box when I realized, I can't see anything. I'd return to the house and look for my phone to use it as a flashlight.  Once I was in the light, I could find the breaker box and get the lights back on. In Isaiah 9:2, there is an announcement in scripture that a bright light is coming and that  light will shine on all people giving them a way out of the darkness.  The coming of that bright light is what the  story of Christmas is all about. In John 1:4-5 it says,  “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”  There are 1
Read more