Prayer – Lord, are we ever in total communion with You or with others? When I lose focus on myself…and just focus on You, I feel Your very presence and a level of joy that is encouraging and uplifting. You can put a smile on my face—which in turn allows me to smile on others. That smile of acceptance is sometimes all that is needed to break the ice in an otherwise icy relationship.
Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything
you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to
those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way
you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you
will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger,
harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be
kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through
Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:29-32
Are you crowing like a rooster?
,,,or are you communicating
with kindness?
Rooster at home in Joppa, Israel.
Meditate. Focus on that word…kind.
How would you rate yourself on…patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? How well do you actually
communicate with others?
Communication is so important to any relationship. No communication
results in no exchanging ideas, no encouraging others, no expressing love or
showing acceptance. What do patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control have to do with communication? Well, I think they are the
foundation to a healthy connection with others. Throw in honesty, integrity, forgiveness,
and compromise and a stable relationship is sure to develop. Paul forthrightly declared
that the church at Ephesus should...get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger,
harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be
kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through
Christ has forgiven you. Imagine yourself, your family, friends and colleges
without any of those evil characteristics—but renewed and refilled with the
Holy Spirit, exhibiting totally kind actions and feelings towards everyone. Is
that what heaven will be like? Forgiveness will be necessary before anyone gets
to heaven. Then we can focus on kindness. Sounds good to me.
In the meantime, making every effort to communicate in an
intentionally kind way is a good attitude to have towards others. Isn’t that
how you want to be treated, too? Back to that Golden Rule…treat others the way
you want to be treated. Don’t be critical of others—but humble yourself and put
others needs ahead of your own (Philippians 2:3-4).
For
you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the
standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your
friend's eye when you have a log in your own? Matthew 7:2-3
Make every effort to improve your relationships through
good communication.
Verse of Salvation ~ Our great desire is that you will
keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what
you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and
indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to
inherit God's promises because of their faith and endurance. Hebrews
6:11-12
Thank a Veteran Today
© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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