It's Your Kindness

Kindness. 

Is that the one word people would use to describe me? 

I asked some of my children.
They had some nice answers, but "kind" was not one of them.
I am not surprised. 
I know that is something the Lord is teaching me about.
It could become the word for the year.

Kindness is one of the qualities that God cherishes in women.

  In Titus 2, the older women are to teach the younger women,

"to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home,

good,

obedient to their own husbands,

that the word of God be not blasphemed." 

The word "good", is also translated, "kind".
I am learning about this word
and what it should look like displayed in my life.

  In Carolyn Mahaney's book, Feminine Appeal,

the vision to be kind and good is clearly stated in a way that struck me with awe.

Kindness, she says, "is a sincere desire for the happiness of others,

while goodness is the activity calculated to advance that happiness."

  She goes on to say that anger, bitterness and judging hinder our ability to be kind.  

Exhibiting one of these sinful behaviors shows that

I am choosing my way as more important than glorifying God.  

Ouch!

 I know for certain that if I desire to become a woman who has a reputation for being kind, 

it will need to be God at work in me. 

I need Him to take over, so that His kindness is manifested in me.

  This can only happen if I get myself out of the way. 

Less of me, more of Him.

Scripture tells women that we are to be known for our good works:  1 Timothy 2:9-10,

" In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel,

with self control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,

but with what is proper for women who profess godliness, with good works."

God values our kindness

above our standard of living, our hobbies, our talents and abilities.  

The example of Edith Schaeffer stands before us,

a woman who made her homemaking a blessing to others

and used it to advance the Kingdom of God through....her cinnamon buns! 

It is said of her that, "As many people were brought to the Lord 

through Mrs. Schaeffer's cinnamon buns as through Dr. Schaeffer's sermons." 

Now that is a reputation to strive for!

It's your kindness then, as a woman,

that fills the home to the brim with nurturing and happiness,

and pours forth from the home doors in good works to the neighbors and community beyond,

giving them a taste of a little bit of heaven.

In daily living,

I see this as meaning kindly greeting, listening, encouraging
and praying for/with our family-first,

and then others,

because we desire their happiness 

and giving glory to God 

as more important than our own wants.

Kindness demands a humble, forgiving heart,

a mind thoughtful of others. 

It involves servant hearted actions that are pure,

not requiring affirmation or boosts in self significance.

A kind woman is generous and warm hearted. 

She does not grow grasping and selfish, but is a ministering angel to those about her.  

The virtue of kindness is often overlooked as not so important as say, 

an industrious, beautiful, or engaging woman, 

but, in truth, is perhaps 

The Most Important quality

a wife and mother should possess.