I get it a lot. People see that I’m sweet and kind and some see that as a green light for taking advantage of me. But this cute little puppy dog has a bite. I didn’t get to where I am by letting everyone steamroll me. And I didn’t get to where I am by being a jerk either. There’s a balance between being kind and not letting everyone walk all over you.
In today’s world, it’s extremely hard to be kind.
So many actively seek out kind people just so they can crush them and tear them down. Be kind and you might as well have a bullseye on your back and that’s the truth.
So how do you remain kind in a world bent on pushing you down?
You kick people out of your life. You stop serving where you’re not appreciated, where people are clearly trying to take advantage of you.
I ran an incredibly popular service here locally where I’m at. It was all 100% free for people and I was not paid for my time. I did this service to help people. I expected nothing in return and I served in my community like a full-time job.
All the while, I was serving my guts out for them, I was in financial struggle. I’m a single mom, bills are expensive and I don’t have a husband to help with things.
Even still, I love the Lord and wanted to serve and so I did. For about a year in that capacity.
Every single day, I helped many people in my community and it brought me a lot of joy to help. But whenever *I* needed something, the general consensus was, “Well, God blesses her in abundance, HE will take care of it.”
And while He DOES take care of me and my needs quite well, that does not diminish our responsibility to help our fellow man whenever we can. For it is oftentimes that God uses human instruments to bring those blessings to His children!!
But if I am serving you every single day and am looking for food, for example, for my family and you go and give your excess food to someone else, it’s a slap in my face.
There was no respect, no meeting of MY needs, no asking how *I* am doing or concern of me at all. There were, of course, a couple people who cared, but not enough to sustain the group.
For the most part, I was constantly attacked, belittled, disrespected, and treated badly.
After a year, enough is enough and I left. I just stopped with no warning and no notification. After I closed the group, I received several messages, asking where I was. There were a couple people legitimately concerned about ME, but most who reached out to me were just wondering where the free stuff was, proving that they didn’t care about me, as a person at all, only what I was doing for them.
You can be kind and nice, but if people are treating you bad, not appreciating you or just being compassionless toward you, leave!
Don’t walk, RUN. Run away and be kind and serve somewhere else.
Kindness doesn’t mean you’re a welcome mat everyone can use and wipe their dusty feet on. Jesus never let people take advantage of Him while He walked the earth and neither should we!
Today, let’s look at more of what the Bible says about kindness in these 30 Bible verses about kindness, so that we can get a more accurate picture of the life God calls us to lead. ❤️
30 Bible Verses About Kindness
1) Job 6:14
“He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”
2) Proverbs 11:17
“A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.”
3) Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
4) Romans 11:22
“Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.”
5) Proverbs 31:26
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”
6) Luke 6:35
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”
7) Colossians 3:12
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,”
8) Hebrews 13:16
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
9) Proverbs 19:17
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.”
10) Galatians 6:9-10
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
11) Titus 3:1-2
“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.”
12) Romans 12:10
“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
13) Ephesians 2:7
“So that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
14) Proverbs 14:21
“Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.”
15) Hebrews 13:2
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
16) Romans 15:2
“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”
17) Micah 6:8
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
18) Titus 3:4-5
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,”
19) Romans 2:4
“Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”
20) Galatians 5:13
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
21) 1 John 3:18
“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”
22) Luke 6:31
“And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”
23) Proverbs 21:21
“Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”
24) Matthew 7:12
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
25) 1 John 3:17
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”
26) Ephesians 4:29
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
27) Proverbs 12:25
“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”
28) Acts 20:35
“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
29) 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;”
30) Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
