(49) Reflect the Character of Christ - Kindness & Humility

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. (Colossians 3:12-13 NET)

The second character quality Paul mentions is kindness. Kindness will always flow out of a heart of compassion. Here in Colossians three, Paul uses a word that he most often uses to speak of God’s kindness toward His people. The implication is clear. Our kindness toward others should be a reflection of the kindness we receive from God. It is a gracious, active, righteous kindness.

When we become frustrated and annoyed with others and begin to be discouraged, we need to refocus. Instead of focusing on their weaknesses and failures that get me discouraged, I need to choose to focus on acts of kindness I can do to help them. Being focused on being actively kind to others will go a very long way to leading us to victory over discouragement with them.

But having a heart of compassion and expressing it through acts of kindness isn’t easy when someone has let me down. And so, Paul tells us we also need humility. Humility is built on a proper recognition of where we come from and who we are before God.

There is an earthiness about this word. “Humus” is the root word for earth and out of that root the word ?humble? comes. It has the dimension of meaning “of the earth.”

The humble know who they are. Humility has nothing to do with self-depreciation, or cowering back, nothing to do with self-disgust at our shabby lives; nor is it a downcast, brow-beaten stance. The humble know who they are in relation to God and other persons. – Maxie Dunnam

In his song, “Made to Worship.” Chris Tomlin states it so clearly. “All we are and all we have is all a gift of God that we receive.” We are what we are by the grace of God alone.

We get irritated and discouraged because we rely on them for things and they don’t come through. They make mistakes, do annoying things, they blow it. They don’t keep their promises, forget, fail and frustrate. But, all the while, we do the very same things! Who’s irritated and discouraged with or failures?

Victory over discouragement with others requires that I get rid of any pride and arrogance that leads me to think I am better than them. An inflated view of myself and my abilities is a sure prescription for discouragement with others. Let’s give them the same patience, understanding, and slack we want given to us!

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Next: (50) Reflect the Character of Christ - Gentleness, Meekness & Patience