"Be nice!" my mother would remind us. As right as that sounded, the difficult part was to do it. In our own family it was a challenge to hand out kindness to a sibling who
 wasn't being very kind. Even so, this hard-learned lesson brought much-needed truth into my life.

Team members may experience this same sort of dilemma. Offering kindness when it is needed but perhaps not earned is a challenge. A player who offers a hand of
 assistance to a downed opponent is a simple expression of unmerited kindness.

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."  Mark Twain

Jesus gave us clear understanding of the importance of kindness in Luke 10:25-37. Here is a quick account: One day an expert in religious law asked Jesus what he
 had to do to live forever. As happened quite often, Jesus answered his question with a question as to what the law said. The lawyer then gave the "memorized-ten-
commandment-version" answer:
 
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself."

Then the expert in interpreting the Law quickly followed by asking Jesus this qualifying question: Exactly "who" is my neighbor anyway? Jesus, taking advantage of the
 teachable moment, then told the story of the Good Samaritan and closed with yet another question . . .which of the three who saw the wounded Samaritan do you think
 was a good neighbor? The expert in religious law then answered his own original question, "The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded. Jesus said . . .

"Go and do the same."  Luke 10:37 TM

Jesus gives the man a thumbs up and sends him on his way . . the question of eternal life now understood to include kindness.

Who do we give our kindness to? Is it reserved for the ones who we think deserve it? Or is it available to whomever may be in a tough place of need? Is is earned
 or is it a gift? Is it given as a merited favor or an unmerited favor?

The answer to this QUESTION ON KINDESS is found in another question: Do I have eternal life because I have earned it?

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8 NIV

The answer is a resounding "no" -  so let's go do the same!  Because you love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength, find someone today who hasn't earned your kindness and give it . . . in this is eternal life!

Blessings . . . as you give loving kindness to those who need it but haven't earned it. 

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