Kind, Compassionate

“All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”—Ephesians 4:31–32 NASB

In the last half of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul turned to practical matters focusing on how believers lived. As followers of Jesus, they were to be different than the world around them. Following Jesus should make a difference that others can see.

But Paul wanted them to realize many were still acting as if nothing had changed. Some even had returned to their former lifestyles.

He warned about the destructive influence of attitudes like bitterness and anger. These needed to “be removed” and eliminated from their lives. They also needed to purge offensive words from their vocabulary and avoid using language that wounded others.

Paul provided principles to guide them in these relationships. First, they were to be “kind.” The Greek word came from a root that means to receive a loan or borrow. This meant remembering that all their resources, all their abilities, and everything they had was theirs on loan.

They also were to be compassionate, to care about others. They were to forgive others just as God had forgiven them. In all things, they needed to be careful not to be self-centered or dominated by pride or just think only about themselves. Instead, they were to stay humble and remember God’s mercy, favor, and forgiveness.

Ask God to help you to be kind and compassionate, a forgiving person, humble and surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Reflection Question: Who do you need to forgive right now?