So that in the coming ages, he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

- Ephesians 2: 7-8

Kindness is best described as selfless, merciful, compassionate care for another, expecting nothing in return.

Mercy displays itself in how you treat those who cannot defend themselves, for example, an animal, a child, or the elderly. It is how you speak to another when no one else is listening.

I remember a day when I was out walking my dog and noticed a man in front of me with his dog on the sidewalk. Suddenly, he lashed out at the dog, hit it, and kicked it. Appalled and in shock, I yelled at him, “Hey! Stop that! You don’t hit or kick your dog.” I yelled at him before I had time to even think about the fact that the man was a total stranger and much larger than I was.

He quickly explained that his dog had picked up a dead bird, and he didn’t want her to have it. I was so angry at how he treated his dog that I continued to tell him how wrong he was to treat her that way. I’ll be honest; I don’t think I acted kindly.

I could have handled things differently, but I also needed to speak up for a helpless, cowering animal that couldn’t defend itself.

This memory reminded me that kindness is how God treats us, offering us forgiveness through His Son despite our sinful actions. Jesus tells us to love our enemies and do good.

Now, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t speak up when we see abuse. We should. However, I was deeply convicted because I knew my sin is no better than the man I saw hurt his dog.

And yet, God loves me and shows daily kindness to me and each of us. I am so grateful to Him for loving us and seeing us through the cleaning forgiveness of His Son, Jesus.

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for showing me how deeply you love me. Thank you for never basing your love on my sinful actions. I am so grateful for your kindness and sacrifice. Thank you for forgiving me. Amen.

With Love,
Sherry Shepherd