Love is Kind

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;⁶it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸Love never ends.

Love is kind.

What does the word KIND mean?
The freedictionary says:
kind ¹ (knd)

adj. kind·er, kind·est

1. Of a friendly, generous, or warm-hearted nature.

2. Showing sympathy or understanding; charitable: a kind word.

3. Humane; considerate: kind to animals.

4. Forbearing; tolerant: Our neighbor was very kind about the window we broke.

5. Generous; liberal: kind words of praise.

6. Agreeable; beneficial: a dry climate kind to asthmatics.

Love is kind. What does that truly mean?

I have to admit, when I think of a kind person I think of someone who quietly does nice things for other folks. That's not always an accurate image, but it's the one that often comes in my head.

Now... I am NOT a quiet person. I'm noisy and busy and I can't sit still for long periods of time unless I'm reading a book or sitting at the computer. I do "stuff" all the time. Does that imply that I don't fit my idea of being a kind person? well...yeah basically.

BUT do I see myself in an incorrect manner? Am I kind?

Well...I think that overall I am but I have a long way to go to be the type of person I believe God wants me to be in this regard.

I am friendly - I'll sit next to you and chat with you. Did that yesterday with a guy looking all alone and kept him company for a spell. But would I have done this if he had grumped at me? no, but he didn't. I was friendly, he was friendly back.

I am willing to help folks out if I am able to. I'll give you whatever I can as long as you ASK and don't demand. Not quite fitting with Luke 6:32 which says "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." I personally find that people who are demanding are ungrateful for what they've already received...but God calls me to be kind to them regardless.

I'm kind to my critters...but I'm also demanding of them. Act the way I want you to! Don't be a snit...I'm in charge remember? BUT when the pigs all escaped the other night the lad and I didn't leave them to their folly but we went out and caught them up. And I do take the time to train my animals to respond in the manner I prefer. BUT I am NOT patient with the kitten when all he wants to do is suck on something. That sound just irritates me...but I could be nicer to him about it. after all "he's just being who he is mommy".

Am I tolerant? well..... yes and no. My neighbours to the right like to run their ATV around and around and around their house. I don't complain to them about the noise, but I do sometimes mutter under my breath at them. Does that negate my kindness? I don't know as what's in my heart is what comes out....and my heart isn't being kind to them though my actions are. And I do have to ask, when is tolerance not being kind? For instance, if I tolerate your bad behaviour am I being kind to you in the LONG run? Does toleration mean being politically correct OR does it mean just tolerating the foibles that make you you? (I tend to think the later not the former).

Generous: am I generous with my words to others? I'm am not sure. seems odd to say that. But seriously I am not sure. I like to think that I am? And I do know that if I focus on it I say thank you to folks for the things that they do. I think it's polite to do so, and acting in a manner that respects their efforts on my behalf.

Agreeable? hmm... how does that fit with being kind? ah.. when I look at this I see that it is talking about how a place can be beneficial. Such as Hubby dear likes biking a lot lately and the warm (not hot) weather is kind to him as he bikes. But it makes me think...do I help create an environment around me that is agreeable to those I meet in life? that puts a different spin on it. and I have to honestly admit...sometimes yes, sometimes no. :) The better I sleep the better I am in this regard. :)

Kindness seems to be an active way of showing love to those around us. It's a doing, whereas patience seems to be more of an attitude. I may be wrong but that's how this is striking me.

Love is patient (as it takes a longer term view of things) but love is kind in how it plays that out. (as in let me lend you a hand because in the long view I want you to know God as I do).

I may not have worded my thinking out processes all the way correctly...but what do you all think? How do you show love in a kind manner?

Previous in this series
These words keep running through my head..
Love is patient.