“But Mom, Matthew knocked down my tower and he’s being mean!”

After ironing out the sibling spat, I thought about how often I withhold kindness myself because I think someone doesn’t deserve it. For example, there’s that neighbor down the street who scowls at my kids every time they ride their bikes near her yard. I’ve never wanted to show her any kindness because she’s never shown me any.

But it suddenly dawned on me that it’s easy to be kind to those who are kind to us. The harder thing, the thing Jesus did, was to show kindness to people who were hard and cold and didn’t deserve it—like us. He lived a life of love and then provided the ultimate display of compassion at the cross where He died for our sins.

I called the boys into the kitchen and told them we would make some banana bread to take to our neighbor. Maybe we could warm her heart with the love of Jesus. Maybe not. But either way I knew I could reach out in love and kindness to her because the same has been done for me at the cross.

Being kind does not come naturally to us—that’s why random acts of kindness often make the nightly news in our society. Kindness simply means you have sympathy for others and you want to do them good. It stems from an attitude of humility, putting others before yourself, and going out of your way to meet their needs. Ask God to show you times when you are tempted not to live or respond in kindness. Hide verses in your heart so you will remember what God’s Word says about living out godly characteristics.