Anglican Devotional 9 October 2022 – Be Kind To Other People

TOPIC: Be Kind To Other People

READ: 1 Peter 4:7-11 (NKJV)

7. But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
8. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
9. [Be] hospitable to one another without grumbling.
10. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11. If anyone speaks, [let him speak] as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, [let him do it] as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

THE MESSAGE:

To be kind is to exhibit a gentle nature, an interest in helping people and doing good to bring about happiness in others. Kindness reveals a heart filled with love. According to the writer of this Epistle (Peter), kindness is expressed in caring and sharing to meet others’ needs, and to meet the daily needs of brethren. This could be done by lending helping hands and support to each other according to the blessings of God upon our lives. The writer prepared the mind of Christians for the difficult times ahead. This is because the Epistle was written few years prior to the destruction of Jerusalem; “the end of all things is at hand” (1 Peter 4:7). It was noticed that even before the destruction, some Jewish Christians were already exiting from Judea and probably had needed material support.

The time before, during and after the destruction of Jerusalem, brought a lot of stress to the Christians. Therefore, the encouragement of Apostle Peter was very necessary; it is timely and relevant in our contemporary world. Since the scourge of the Covd-19 pandemic, the economic situation and sources of livelihood have never remained the same as they were.

Our passage today calls on Christians to exercise their spirit of love by showing kindness to their neighbours. Do you know that in whatever situation you find yourself, you are better than someone? Lend helping hands today and make someone happy.

PRAYER: In what way can you be a burden lifter for someone today?