Fruitful Thursday : Kindness Week 2

After last week's run in with the kind policeman, I've been thinking quite a bit about kindness. Its significance and true meaning. How to get it, how to give it. And I realized kindness is simply grace. And isn't grace a lovely word? I get a better response when I say to my boys "Extend one another some grace" rather than "Be kind to each other". Just look, LOOK at the definition of grace, including the theological definition. It is long, but so moving.

Kindness ~ the practice or quality of being kind; a kind, considerate, or helpful act

Grace ~

1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.
2. a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment.
3. favor or good will.
4. a manifestation of favor, esp. by a superior: It was only through the dean's grace that I wasn't expelled from school.
5. mercy; clemency; pardon: an act of grace.
6. favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.
7. an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payable granted to the debtor before suit can be brought against him or her or a penalty applied.
8. Theology .
a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of god.
b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.
c. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.
d. Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God's favor or one of the elect.
9. moral strength: the grace to perform a duty.
10. a short prayer before or after a meal, in which a blessing is asked and thanks are given.
11. ( usually initial capital letter ) a formal title used in addressing or mentioning a duke, duchess, or archbishop, and formerly also a sovereign (usually prec. by your, his, etc.).
12. Graces, Classical Mythology . the goddesses of beauty, daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, worshiped in Greece as the Charities and in Rome as the Gratiae.
13. Music . grace note.

Isn't that lovely? Moving? Beautiful!

Proverbs 22:11 ~ One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend

Ephesians 6:24 ~ Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

2 Corinthians 4:15 ~ All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

2 Peter 3:18 ~ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Romans 6:14 ~ For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.