Life is too short...Be Kind

[Fragrant Grace]

Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32

From: JR Miller....The Temper -1912

We represent Christ in this world; people cannot see Him, and they must look at us to see a little of what He is like.
Whatever great work we may do for Christ, if we fail to live out His life of patience and kindness, we fail in an essential part of our duty as Christians.
The servant of the Lord must be gentle.
Only as our own lives shine in the brightness of holy affectionateness, and our hearts and lips distill the sweetness of patience and gentleness, can we fulfill our mission in this world as Christ's true messengers to men.

Life is too short to spend even one day of it in bickering and strife.
Love is too sacred to be forever lacerated and torn by the ugly briers of sharp temper.
Surely we ought to learn to be patient with others, since God has to show every day such infinite patience toward us.
Can we not, then, train our life to sweeter gentleness?
Can we not learn to be touched even a little roughly, without resenting it?
Can we not bear little injuries and apparent injustices, without flying into an unseemly rage?
Can we not have in us something of the mind of Christ which will enable us, like Him—to endure all wrong and injury and give back no word or look of bitterness?

There is no temper so obdurately bad—that it cannot be trained into sweetness. The grace of God can take the most unlovely life—and transform it into the image of Christ!

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Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.
Colossians 3:12-17