Kindness Makes The Coffee

When I think of Proverbs 31, verses that generally come to my mind are the ones about who can find a virtuous woman, and a woman who fears the Lord being praised. But in the midst of these important truths there is another truth often skipped over--The Teaching or Law of Kindness.

Prov. 31:26 (ESV)
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Kindness is generally thought of as an action. "She was kind to me today" usually means she did something nice for another person. Or we might say we're "Thinking kind thoughts" of another person.

Kindness is rooted in far more than that. The root of kindness is love. Not just any love--unconditional love, which means loving others regardless of whether or not we feel like loving them, and whether or not they earn it.

I love this quote from Max Lucado:
"Kindness not only says good morning--kindness makes the coffee."

Kindness is not completely synonymous with niceness. There are plenty of days I may be nice to someone because society requires I smile politely and say hello. But kindness takes it one step further. Kindness chooses to love them unconditionally, inquiring about their day, showing genuine interest as they talk about it, and perhaps even offer to help in some way, should they need it. Going the extra mile, even at great cost to ourselves.

I know when I think of unconditional love, I think of loving people regardless of how they treat me. But there is another side too--loving people regardless of how I feel like treating them. In other words, even when I don't feel like loving them and being kind, I must choose to turn to the Lord, and ask for His love to flow through me for that person.

When we are filled with the fulness of Christ, we will be governed by love, for He is love. Kindness will flow from our mouths and actions, because its root is within us.

~Miss Deb