the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Bowen's Daily Meditations
" Be ye kind one to another." - Ephesians 4:32.
Not courteous merely; for courtesy is but one expression of kindness. Not kind to this or that choice one, with whom you have a facility of sympathy; but generally. Be ye kind; there are few words in our language more endowed with meaning than this. It has both a soul and a body. It signifies both a state of the heart, and the manifestations of that state, in acts, words, tones, looks. Some words look more to outward acts; others more to inward equalities. We cannot say to which this most looks. It has two hands so to speak, and grasps both ideas refusing to let either go. This word claims also the whole heart. Kindness is not a quality of one’s nature: but it is the aspect of one’s nature. It is not something to be introduced into our character; but our character is to be baptized in it, penetrated with it.
How this command expresses the kindness of God! He is not satisfied with extending over you all the day long an azure canopy of love, with making his sun run for your pleasure his daily course through the skies; with causing the breath of his winds to visit you, his flowers to bloom for you, his fruits to ripen, and ten thousand other ministries of his to wait upon you; he is not satisfied with the proof of his kindness given in the knowledge of Christ communicated to you; but he gives a solemn charge concerning you to every human being that comes near the throne of grace, - a charge to be kind to you. And when they ask, how much is intended by this command, God refers them to the signal proof of his own kindness, as the example that may guide them in their kindness to you.
If you say, how can I be kind to those whose characters are unamiable, and the look of whose soul is not inviting? By looking at God over their shoulder. Remember that you are pleasing him in showing kindness to them. Your goodness extendeth not to the sovereign of the skies; you cannot be kind to him; but your love to him whom you have not seen may fitly express itself, it must do so, in kindness to your brother whom you have seen.
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