1 Thessalonians 5:15: Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
If there is anything missing in our world now, it is kindness. I know many people blame social media for the lack of kindness. We hide behind our keyboards and think we can say anything we want to or about anyone. They call it “keyboard courage.”
Yet, we need to remember that social media is not to blame for the lack of kindness … our old sin nature is. Social media simply gave our sin a venue to express itself openly, but it was there all along, hidden deep in our hearts.
We want retribution, not kindness. If someone does us wrong, we want to wrong them right back. We are like James and John, the sons of thunder as Jesus referred to them –we want to call down fire from heaven on those who have wronged us or offended us.
Instead, we are admonished to “always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”
It is not only IN the church that kindness must be displayed (the each other part), but it is kindness shown THROUGH the church (the everyone else part) that is to be demonstrated.
Father, help us to be like our Master, when they shouted curses at Him on the cross, He did not retaliate but instead forgave. Amen.