Today we are talking about the 6th virtue included in the Being a Titus 2 Woman series. This series is based off of the book Feminine Appeal, which shares 7 virtues of a Godly wife and mother from Titus 2:3-5: Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
Today we are talking about Kindness. Now, for me personally I have always been a kind person who loves to serve others in many different ways. However, sometimes I forget why I am doing acts of kindness and have a sinful motivation. I think that before I was saved I was kind because it made ME feel good. However, now that I am a Christian, I should be kind because I am commanded by God to be kind, because it benefits the other person, and because it spreads the Good News of the Gospel!
Now, kindness isn't just about what you do outside of your home. We are commanded to be kind inside of our homes! This is sometimes the hardest place to be kind. Carolyn says it this way (pg. 118),
You see, I thought of myself as a compliant, easy-going individual who hardly ever got angry. I naturally assumed that I would treat my new husband and future children with more kindness, love, and gentleness than I showed anyone else. Obviously, I was wrong.
If you are a wife and mother, I am willing to bet that you too have been shocked by the resentment or hostility you've felt (and most likely manifested) toward your own family members. Maybe you sometimes wonder as I did: What happened to the kind, compassionate person I used to be?
I too thought like Carolyn when I got married. I was so nice to everyone else, I was sure I would be more nice to my husband! Right? No! I am so surprised sometimes at the sinful anger and downright meanness I show to my husband sometimes, especially earlier in our marriage.
However, thank goodness that God does not let me sit in my sin and deal with it myself, because I wouldn't be able to and I would still be just as mean and angry. Thank goodness that God gives me the Bible and the Holy Spirit to guide me and mold me into a kind and love wife (And hopefully mother soon!).
Carolyn gives us a definition of kindness as (pg. 120), "a sincere desire for our husbands' and children's happiness." What a wonderful thing for women and mothers to be desiring! This is what I want for my life, and I am sure the same is for you!
So, what are some of the main things that hinder us from showing kindness? "Three sins that often obstruct this godly desire are anger, bitterness, and judging" (pg. 120). I have seen each of these sins live in my life and hold me back from being kind.
So, let's look at scripture's solution for each of these sins (pg. 121-126),
ANGER
James 4:6-10 gives us a very direct solution, we must humble ourselves and submit to God. We must humbly confess and repent! Then, with God's help, we can turn from anger and instead nurture kindness.
BITTERNESS
Ephesians 4:31-32 gives us again a very direct solution, we need to put all bitterness away from us! "So instead of dwelling on how we've been wronged, let us entreat the Holy Spirit to help us look at the cross. As we meditate on the undeserved mercy of God in forgiving our sins, we will freely grant forgiveness and kindness to our husbands and children" (pg. 123).
JUDGING
1 Corinthians 13:7 helps us find a solution for judging. "If we become conscious of believing the worst about our husbands and children, we must confess our lack of love for them to God. When we repent from judging, we will gain fresh passion for our families' happiness" (pg. 125).
Through the grace of God and the intervention of the Holy Spirit, we can become kind women who are desiring our families' happiness! Amen!
However, thank goodness that God does not let me sit in my sin and deal with it myself, because I wouldn't be able to and I would still be just as mean and angry. Thank goodness that God gives me the Bible and the Holy Spirit to guide me and mold me into a kind and love wife (And hopefully mother soon!).
Carolyn gives us a definition of kindness as (pg. 120), "a sincere desire for our husbands' and children's happiness." What a wonderful thing for women and mothers to be desiring! This is what I want for my life, and I am sure the same is for you!
So, what are some of the main things that hinder us from showing kindness? "Three sins that often obstruct this godly desire are anger, bitterness, and judging" (pg. 120). I have seen each of these sins live in my life and hold me back from being kind.
So, let's look at scripture's solution for each of these sins (pg. 121-126),
ANGER
James 4:6-10 gives us a very direct solution, we must humble ourselves and submit to God. We must humbly confess and repent! Then, with God's help, we can turn from anger and instead nurture kindness.
BITTERNESS
Ephesians 4:31-32 gives us again a very direct solution, we need to put all bitterness away from us! "So instead of dwelling on how we've been wronged, let us entreat the Holy Spirit to help us look at the cross. As we meditate on the undeserved mercy of God in forgiving our sins, we will freely grant forgiveness and kindness to our husbands and children" (pg. 123).
JUDGING
1 Corinthians 13:7 helps us find a solution for judging. "If we become conscious of believing the worst about our husbands and children, we must confess our lack of love for them to God. When we repent from judging, we will gain fresh passion for our families' happiness" (pg. 125).
Through the grace of God and the intervention of the Holy Spirit, we can become kind women who are desiring our families' happiness! Amen!
Between a one and a ten on the "kind-o-meter," how would you have rated yourself before marriage and/or motherhood? What about now?
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