What a privilege it is today to be a Christian. We want to be the best Christian that we can be. We want the best for these children that were dedicated today. And I think one way to get the best is to be kind. To try kindness. To be kind to somebody.
You know, somebody said that “If you step on people in this life, you'll come back as a cockroach.” Now we don’t believe in reincarnation, but I will tell you that it is very essential to be kind. To smile. To be pleasant. You know the way that you treat others is often the way that they’re going to treat you. And to really be somebody in life you’ve got to be kind. And that’s what Jesus is like.
Look at Proverbs. Come over here to Proverbs in your Bible. Proverbs chapter 15 and I’ll be reading according to the New International Version. Proverbs 15, and verse 30. “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart. And good news gives health to the bones.”
Will Rogers says, "I can live a long time on one compliment." We don’t give compliments very often. We ought to. Tell somebody how much you appreciate them. Christians should try to withhold critical words and lavish good words upon people. So begin in the morning with your own wife. Try praising her, even if it frightens her at first. Say something good to your children. Give a compliment. Be kind.
You know, a kind Christian leaves behind him a trail of happier people. Look at the people in your wake. Are they happier because you came by? Did you uplift somebody? Or did you leave them with a scowl on their face?
If you come back just a page or two, Proverbs chapter 12, look at verse 25. Proverbs 12:25. “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” I want to cheer people up. And I will tell you we need cheering up. The older we get… you know, people, when they get older, they get a few more aches and pains. Have you noticed that? Are any of you a year older than you were last year this time? We get a catch, or a kink, or something happens. We all need a little bit of encouragement.
One New Years Day a millionaire, who prided himself in never giving a tip had a tragedy come into his life. His chief accountant committed suicide and left a note. And the note said, "I have worked for you for 30 years and I have not had one word of encouragement from you in that whole time."
Are you kind? Or are you like a dark thunder cloud? That’s about the only way we get our rain here. The only blessing of a thunder cloud is the rain. And you hope it doesn’t knock your corn down. Are you a kind, gentle thunder cloud? Or are you a dark, foreboding one? Try to look on the good side of everybody. Be a giver of courage. You know, by swallowing a word that’s unsaid, you never will have stomach problems from that. Just don’t say them.
Do something kind for your neighbor. I was out in my yard dressed in my suit this morning, about 7 o’clock. My neighbor was out there, across, reading the newspaper and I said, “Good morning, Ray.” He said, “Well, looks like you’re all ready for church.” I said a few kind words to him, and he said, “When you’re gone on your vacation to Africa, I want to take care of your garden for you.” A little bit of kindness goes a long way, you know. We have such good neighbors.
Look at Hebrews chapter 10. Now I have always used this text to encourage people to attend church, and especially as you see the day approaching. And we do. The last events are upon us. But look at Hebrews, chapter 10, and verse 25. I’m beginning with verse 24. “Let us consider how we my spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” And then verse 25 talks about assembling yourselves together, and it says, “Let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the day approaching.” We need to be encouragers of one another. So when you see your kids, encourage them. Give them some courage.
It must be a hard job to be the President of the United States. George W. Bush, they’ve all had a tough job. It’s hard to fill those shoes. They’re size 14 or 15, I’m sure. But you know what? The news media, everybody criticizes the president. The cartoonists, when they draw a picture of George W., his ears are about this long. They accentuate anything that’s not quite the way that they think that it ought to be. It’s tough.
On television, the PBS chairman showed a little blue box that had the contents of Abraham Lincoln the night that he was shot on April 14, 1865. They emptied his pockets. And those contents are now in a little blue box. And there were five things in his pocket. Now what do you carry in your pocket? Well, in his pocket was a handkerchief, and it was monogrammed, A Lincoln. Then there was a small pen knife. There was a glass case which was repaired with a string. He had a purse with a five dollar bill in it of confederate money. And he had some old newspaper clippings. And that’s all he had in his pockets.
They examined the newspaper clippings. And all of the clippings were concerned with the great deeds of Abraham Lincoln. One of them was a report by a speech of John Bright which said Abraham Lincoln was "One of the greatest men of all times." Well, today we know that. But back in 1865 he was under some heavy criticism. People were saying, “You’re destroying the nation. We’re in a civil war. What are you doing about it?” He had all kinds of criticism, and so he had a few little newspaper clippings to try to give him some courage to go on. You know, you never realize, when you meet somebody, what they are facing. So give them something to help them to carry on. Is that fair?
Now, I want you to try this. Could you try one thing? If you only get one thing out of this sermon today, go home and try this, ok? Begin right now. Treat everybody that you meet today as if you knew that they were going to be dead by midnight. What would you say to them? “You know, I remember that time when you scratched my car.” Or… Would you be critical to them? No, you would not. They’re going to die by midnight. So you’ve got to treat them pretty nice. Then try that again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day. Treat people like that. And it will change their life, and it will change your life. You’ll be changed!
Proverbs 15, verse 23. “How good is a timely word.” A timely word. It’s good. Proverbs 25, verse 11. “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of” what? “Of silver.” As you go through life, close your ears to the discords of life, that you hear about other people, and add music. Add music. Sometimes it’s harder to be kind, I think, especially to the people that are on the inside of the front door of our house. It’s harder to be kind to your family than it is to strangers. And you realize that. Strangers are often kinder to us than our own family.
And this is brought out in the Bible. Look over here at Acts 28 in your Bible, if you have your Bible with you this morning. Here’s something that happened to Paul. Paul was shipwrecked, remember? Acts 28, verse two. And the ship struck a sand bar, they had to swim to the shore. Strangers came and look here at verse two. "The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.” Here are these people from this ship-wreck coming on shore like drowned rats, and what did these islanders do? You know what the Hebrew, the Greek word here for islanders is? The Greek word is barbarians. Heathens is what it means. Strangers treated them with kindness. That often is the case.
One day, a poor youngster was out selling goods from door to door to pay his way through college. Was trying to go through college. And as he was beginning college, he was very poor and he was hungry. He hadn’t sold anything, and finally he was down to one thin dime, and he realized that he had a crisis. And so he knocked on the door and was determined that he would ask them for a meal, instead of trying to sell something. A really nice lady came to the door and he said, “Ma’am, could you give me a drink of water?” And she came back with a full glass of milk. She said, “You look hungry. Here’s a cold glass of milk.” Gave it to him. They talked and he said, "How much do I owe you for the milk?" She said, "Well, You don't owe me anything. Mother taught us never to accept money for kindness." And he said, "Well, then I thank you from the bottom of my heart." And as Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger because of the milk, but he felt just encouraged to go on. And he did go on, and he finished college.
And years later, that young woman became critically ill. And local doctors told her, “We don’t understand what’s wrong with you. We’re going to send you to the big city hospital.” And they sent her there. And there at that hospital it was discovered that she had a rare disease.
And Dr. Howard Kelly was called for the consultation. And he heard the name of the lady and he thought, “I recognize that name. She’s from my home town, where I went to college.” And so he went in with his doctor's uniform and everything, and immediately recognized her as the woman who gave him the glass of milk. And he determined that he would do his very best to help her because she had helped him.
And so they struggled, and after a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office would send him the bill, and he wrote on the edge of the bill "PAID IN FULL BY ONE GLASS OF MILK.” And when she got the bill, tears came to her eyes. You never know what kindness will do. Paid in full. One glass of kindness.
You know, the folks that we wound the most, are often those that we love the best. And we flatter those that we hardly know, and we withhold compliments from those who are our relatives. We need to be people of unusual kindness. Givers of true compassion. And I think the closer that we come to Jesus Christ, the kinder we will become. The more we will smile. And the nicer we will be.
There was a young boy who went to stay with his grandfather who was… who had a reputation for being mean and unkind. And selfish. But the boy, the young boy could see nothing but good in the grandpa. He said, "Grandpa, you’re so nice.” You know, young people believe in adults. And the young boy believed. And no matter how disagreeable the old man, the young boy, all he could see was love, and finally under the influence of that confidence it softened his heart and he became the grandpa that his young grandson believed that he was.
Hebrews chapter 3 verse 13 says, "Encourage one another daily.” If your husband isn’t quite what he ought to be, encourage him. If your wife isn’t quite what she ought to be, encourage her. Compliment the good. Compliment the good.
Let me tell you a story about Miss Thompson. She was a teacher. She liked all of her students, as a teacher should. But she had a very hard time with Teddy. Teddy was a terrible student. Just seemed like he would sit there and he was staring a thousand miles away like a zombie. He had no interest in learning of any kind. When she tried to help him he just stared at her. His clothes were dirty and his hair was never combed right. He just was a total failure. And most of his papers, she was very pleased to take out her pen and put a big “F” on the top of the paper. He did terrible work. And his records showed that Teddy was a bad student from the first grade.
In the second grade the record read, “Teddy could do better. his Mother is seriously ill.” In the third grade it says, “Teddy is a slow learner. His Mother died this year.” The fourth grade the record said, “Teddy is very slow but he is well behaved. His father has no interest in him.”
They had a Christmas party at the school and each student brought a gift for Miss Thompson. And she was surprised when Teddy Stallard brought a package. It was a small package. It was wrapped in grocery store bag paper, scotch taped together. She received it from him. And she opened it and out fell a cheap rhinestone bracelet with about half of the stones missing and there was a little bottle of cheap perfume. The other kids giggled. And Miss Thompson put on the bracelet and dotted her wrist with some of the perfume.
And after everybody had left Teddy lingered and came up to her, and he said, “You know, you smell just like my mother. And her bracelet looks real good on you.” After he left Miss Thompson knelt beside her desk and prayed, “Lord, forgive me. I have not been a good teacher.” The next day she was a whole new teacher. She was an agent of God for the transformation of her students. She determined to show kindness and love to all of her students. And by the end of the year Teddy Stallard had caught up with his classmates. In fact he was ahead of three of them.
Several years later, she never saw him, finally she received a note:
Dear Miss Thompson, I wanted you to know that I will be graduating second in my class.
Love, Teddy Stallard
And four years later another note came:
Dear Miss Thompson, They just told me that I will be graduating first in my class. I wanted you to be the first to know. The university was hard but it has been good for me. Love, Teddy Stallard
And four years later another note came:
Dear Miss Thompson,
As of today I am Theodore Stallard, M.D. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know. I am getting married on the 27th of this month. And I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive. You’re the only family that I have now. My daddy died this year. Love, Teddy Stallard.
And Miss Thompson went to the wedding. And she sat where Teddy’s mother would have sat. And she deserved to be there. Because she was a new person. She was changed, back there when Teddy was in the fifth grade. She became an agent of change. She transformed Teddy because of the kindness of Jesus in her heart. Others will be influenced by our kindness. More than by the “F”s that we put in our mental picture of them. We write an “F” over their picture. We need to believe in people.
Second Peter, chapter one and verse seven says, “To get brotherly kindness and love.” Get it! And then verse eight says, “For if you possess these qualities”, kindness and love, “in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive.” As a teacher. As a pastor. As a mother. As a father, or whatever.
Romans chapter two, verse four says, “God's kindness leads you to repentance.” And I will tell you, that if God’s kindness can change us then our kindness can change somebody else. Our kindness leads others toward a changed life. And kindness had transformed Miss Thompson into an effective agent of God in her classroom. She had a smile and a warmth that was contagious, and her students excelled. And if Jesus can change Miss Thompson, then He can change you. Do you believe that? You need to get on your knees beside your desk, beside your place of business or wherever you work and pray that God will change your life. And make you into an agent of change.
I believe in kindness. Are you like a bright happy influence for good in the lives of others, or are you like an agent of gloom and doom? Are you growing brighter or darker as the years go along? Could our mood be an indicator of the depth of our walk with Jesus?
I went to visit a lady who was dying, in the nursing home the other day. I walked into the room, and she was alone. And I took her hand and she opened her eyes and the widest, biggest smile came upon her face. She was kind to me. She tried to tell me different things. I couldn’t understand it all. But she was kind, on her deathbed. And I thought, “You know, I’m sure she had times of, in her former life, that weren’t ideal. We all have times like that. But she was giving me kindness.” I appreciated that.
Let me ask you a question. How do you change from being a black hole to being like the sunshine?
The answer is, we can't change ourselves. Any more than the Ethiopian can change his skin from being black. We can’t change our lives. But Jesus can!!! Jesus can make us into sunshine instead of moonshine. Jesus can make our lives into something of beauty instead of something dark and ugly. Jesus can do that. Jesus can make you just like He wants you to be. If you will surrender your life into His hands.
Proverbs 15, verse 15, “The cheerful heart has a continual feast.” Pray for a brand new heart and God will give you a new heart. Pray that God will make you into a kind gentle Christian.
Mark Twain once said that kindness is the universal language. The deaf can hear it. The blind can see it. As a boy, I used to admire intelligent people. I used to admire rich people. But I will tell you that the older I get the people that I admire today are the kind people. They do more for me than the rich people. They do more for me than the geniuses. I like the kind people. And I kind of think that’s who God likes as well.
Colossians three, verse 12, “As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with...kindness...” What a good bunch of advice.
Be kind to everybody. Everybody you meet is fighting a battle of some type. So your kindness to others is important. And it will also benefit you, because like this little flower here on the organ, it will be given to somebody in our church that just had a new baby. The person who gives that flower will also be benefited when some of the smell resides on them. Because you can’t give a bouquet without having some of the fragrance stay on your own hand.
Romans chapter 11, verse 22, “Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness.”
Let’s continue in His kindness. May the kindness of God exude from our pores, from our faces, from our hands, and may others when they see us, may they see Jesus.
Hymn of Praise: #21, Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise Scripture: John 15:10-13 Hymn of Response: #236, I Love Thee
Return to McDonald Road Sermons Index
McDonald Road Sermon transcribed by Steve Foster 7/7/07