Kindness & Faith

PHOTO CAPTION: Cousins – There is a lot of love being shared here.

The littlest one above is not too sure about being held by this group, yet she is tolerating it. I have a big family and they all love and watch out for each other. I think love and kindness begins at home.

What exactly is kindness? It seems to be a word that gets thrown around a lot, yet often isn’t demonstrated in our crazy, opinionated world. Because I’m a word geek, I decided to look it up in the dictionary and see what it says. Some synonyms for kindness are benevolence, humanity, generosity, compassion, tenderness. It’s realizing that we are all human and treating others with tenderness and compassion. Another definition I came across was sympathetic, willing to do good, gracious, considerate. It’s living out the golden rule, treating others as you want to be treated.

Everyone wants kindness exhibited and can certainly point out when it’s not shown and yet when a opportunity comes up to show kindness to others, we may not put it into action. Perhaps we are too busy or too preoccupied with our own things to stop and show kindness. I’m not sure why there seems to be a lack of kindness and yet there is a great deal of judging, division and criticism around. Maybe it’s because we seem to think that everyone should agree with us and that whatever is wrong with the world has to be someone else’s fault. What if instead of judging or pre-judging those who are different from us, we showed kindness? We listened and validated their feelings. We helped them when they are hurt or sick or simply need a friend. What if we listened, truly listened even if we don’t agree with their stance? What if we showed compassion and care whether someone is a black or white, a democrat or a republican, rich or poor, sick or healthy, young or old? What if we loved like Jesus loved?

Recently, I shared the story of Rahab with preschoolers. It’s in the kid’s section below. Now Rahab showed kindness to the spies who came her way. There are a lot of questions that beg to be answered in this story such as how did they happen to end up at Rahab’s house? Why was she so favorable to them? They were, after all, foreigners. Was she just trying to save her own neck and her family? However your brain frames this story, she still exhibited kindness towards the spies and towards her family. Personally, I think her kindness was ignited by her beginnings of faith. She had heard about Israel’s God. She knew that God had certainly aided them along their journey to freedom. God had faithfully been with them from the time of their exit from Egypt forty years earlier to their entrance into the Promised land. God had led them across rivers on dry ground, kept their clothes from wearing out, provided water and food for them as they wandered. Though they had doubted Him, He never once left them. News of these things had reached Jericho and Rahab believed. She believed that God cared for His people. Out of her faith, kindness was born and out of that kindness, courage was given, courage to ask for her life and the lives of her family.

Like Rahab, when our faith is ignited and we realize how great our God is, our kindness and compassion can also be ignited. God gives us the courage to reach out of our comfort zone and truly care for others. He gives us strength to exhibit kindness to our neighbors, friends, foreigners and those very different from us every single day. Don’t forget, however, that kindness also begins at home. You can start by exhibiting kindness to your family this week too.

Rahab’s story doesn’t end with being saved when Jericho fell. Read Matthew 1. Rahab is in the lineage of Jesus. Little did she know what God would make of her life that day when she showed kindness to a couple of spies, but our great God did. Ask God how He wants you to exhibit faith and kindness this week. I’m sure He has a plan and a place for you in His story.

PARENT PRAYER:
Lord God,
I admit I am often too busy, too distracted or too preoccupied by my own concerns to stop and show kindness to those around me. I want to show kindness. I want to love others as you love me, to listen when they are hurting, to pray for them when they need a prayer and to do good as the opportunity comes my way. Show me how to love those who are very different from me. I am learning this Lord, little by little. Thank you God for your faithfulness in teaching me. Instead of being critical or pre-judging others, teach us, teach me to take the time to get to know others. Perhaps in our humaness we are more alike than different. Children often love easier than we do as adults. They don’t judge others unless someone hurts them. Show us how as parents and grandparents to encourage kindness and empathy in our kids. May our kids learn to share, give hugs, listen, use good manners and be a true friend to others. God ignite us with the faith to believe that you are great and because you are great, it’s more than okay for us to show kindness to those around us. We don’t have to be afraid of what they might think or if they agree with us or even if what they are doing is terribly wrong. We can simply love them because you love them. We can show kindness even while standing up against injustice. Give us the courage to be kind. Amen

KINDNESS AT HOME
Do you ever find it easier to exhibit kindness to a stranger than your own family? I know I do sometimes – especially when I’m tired. How about doing a little self-check by asking yourself a few questions.

1. How do I talk to my family? Am I always complaining?
   Do I yell at them or become impatient?
2. When was the last time I said, “Thank you!” to a family member? Do I show appreciation for them?
3. What have you done recently to show kindness?
   Some ideas – write a note, a picture note for a preschooler is great, give a hug, do something fun together.

• Encourage good manners, not just when you are out and about, but at home. Please and thank you are just as needed at home as anywhere else.
  
  KINDNESS EVERYWHERE
  (Especially for Preschoolers)
• Role play with your kids some good manners. How do you meet someone new? EX: “Hi my name is __. What is your name? Do you want to play?”
  How can you be friendly?
  
• Encourage sharing and using your words instead of grabbing, hitting, taking, etc. Show your child how to ask for something he wants or what to say when someone takes something away from them.
  
  • Encourage empathy. Draw your child’s attention to how others might be feeling. EX: Look at Mary. How do you think she felt when you grabbed the truck from her? T.J fell down. Is he hurt? Shall we get him a band-aid? Sarah is sad. she wants someone to play with. Can you share with her?
    
  • Favorite books on manners:
    “Do Unto Otter” by Laurie Keller
    “Richard Scarry’s Please & Thank You Book” by Richard Scarry
    “The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manner” by Stan & Jan Bernestain
    
  • Take note of kindness in your children and others. When you see kindness, respond with gratitude.

Kid’s Section

STORY: Rahab Is Kind – Joshua 2

After Joshua and Caleb wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, they reached the land God was giving to His people. Joshua was now the leader of the Israelites. God told Joshua to get the people ready to cross the Jordan River and go into the new land. He told Joshua to be brave and strong because He would be with Him. Joshua listened to God. He was brave and strong, but before all the people crossed over the Jordan River, Joshua sent two spies in to see what the new land was like.

The spies went into the city of Jericho. They stayed in Rahab’s house. Someone told the king that they were there. He didn’t want spies in his city. He told Rahab to bring the spies out. Instead she hid them on the roof. She knew God was with them. The king did not find them.

Rahab told the spies, “I know God has given you this land. We know that God has helped you. We have heard of all the good things that God has done for you. God rules the heavens above and the earth below!“ She asked the spies to make a promise to her because she was kind and helped them. She asked them to be kind to her and her family.

The spies said, “Yes, we will be kind to you and your family. When God gives us this land, we will be kind to you.” They asked her to tie a red rope in her window and bring all of her family into her house so they would be protected. Rahab did what the men asked and she helped them escape by letting them down with a rope from a window.

The spies went into the hills and hid for three days. Then they went back to Joshua to tell him everything they had learned. Later, when Joshua and all the people went into Jericho, Rahab and her family were saved. God protected Rahab and her family because she trusted Him and she was kind to the spies. Rahab knew that God is BIG and great.

God is BIG and great and He loves you. You can trust God like Rahab did and you can be kind too. God will help you.

MEMORIZE: Joshua 2:11 NIV – (Hold hands as if holding a book.)
… For the Lord your God – (Point up.)
Is God in heaven above – (Reach up as high as you can.)
And on earth below – (Reach down low.)

KNOW: Rahab chose to trust God. She knew God is great.
TALK ABOUT: God is great. He rules over everything.
ASK: Who is great? God is great.
AND DO… I can be kind and trust God because He is great.

FUN IDEAS FOR THIS WEEK: 

* Think of some ways that God is great and celebrate with your child. One way God is great is that He created a beautiful world – take a walk and enjoy all He created. Another way God is great is that He does amazing things for His people. What has God done for you recently? Talk about it with your child and say, ”Thank you!”

• Look up at the sky to see all that God has made, all that He rules over. He is the keeper of the night and day. He made clouds, stars, planets, the sun. Marvel at these things with your child. What do you see on earth? God rules and reigns on earth too – over every teeny ant and big elephant.
  
  PRAYER:
  Dear God,
  I know that you are BIG and great and yet you love me. Thank you that you are always loving and caring for me. Help me to be kind and love others because I know you love me. Amen