31 Virtues for our Kids ~ Kindness

Kindness

Over the next few months we will be praying for 31 Virtues for our Kids maybe even for ourselves too!

1 Thessalonians 5:15 (New International Version)
15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

My youngest daughter loves kittens! She is so sweet, tender and kind when she is around them. It is really cute to see how much she adores them and wants to have one. Many times, if it were not for my allergies this mommy would have taken a kitten home.

Kindness is something I have strongly taught to my children. However, I need God to give them His kindness. His kindness is much bigger and more encompassing than anything we can conjure up. Because it is easy to be kind to cute little kittens but it may not be so easy to be kind to the kid that bullies you at school.

I Thessalonians 5:15 can be a tough verse to live at times. Here we see God's command to give kindness even when we have been wronged...Ouch! It is a hard lesson to learn but a most valuable one in the sanctification process, if becoming like Jesus is our goal.

I am gonna brag a moment about my oldest here so bear with me; because it is tender moments like these that show us that they get it. A few weeks ago we did a fundraiser for Convoy of Hope that is feeding people in Haiti. (I did a blog about it if you would like to check it out.) The kid who raised the most money would be given $50.00. My oldest won!

When I gave my daughter the prize money without hesitation she whispered in my ear that she wanted to give half back to feed the people that need it. I nearly cried in front of everybody, there were definitely tears. I told her she didn't have to do that but that is what she wanted to do. I was so proud of her. My two daughters raised $400.00! I was so proud of them; but it wasn't about the prize it was about helping those in need...and my oldest got it!

Watch for moments like that with all our children it will bless your heart and encourage us to be good examples of kindness. There little eyes are watching us and looking to us to show us how to be kind.

*"Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else."


*by Bob Hostetler, it is excerpted from Pray! magazine issue #4, 31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Kids