“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:32 NIV
Tenderhearted
Marius Barbeau is known as the Father of Canadian anthropology. He tells the story of a tender-hearted monk who was his teacher when he was a young student. Barbeau wrote: “One day our homework was not done well. Brother Odouin called us one by one to his desk. I ended up crying. Brother Odouin, tender-hearted as he was, would slap me on the wrist like the others, there were no exceptions – but he slapped himself on the hand, slightly concealed behind the desk.”
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Kindness is a gift. We appreciate those who have a big heart, who always look for the best in others, and who step in to care when someone needs a helping hand or a listening ear. Tenderhearted people are loved for who they are and how they act. The Bible often speaks of God’s desire for His people to be kind. Paul writes this in Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Compassion is a part of God’s nature. It was out of His tender heart for us that Jesus was sent from Glory to the cross. Those of us who have experienced God’s compassion are called to express His love to others. That includes forgiving those who have hurt us in some way. This isn’t easy. But when we recall that Jesus loved us in spite of our sin and our wayward heart, it becomes easier to love those who are not easy to love. Pray that the Lord will help you see them through His eyes, and you will find that your heart warms towards them and you are able to love them as Jesus does.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley