Try Kindness a few words from Roger Hill

John 15:10-13

What a privilege it is today to be a Christian. We want to be the best Christian that we can be. And I th roger

ink one way to be the best is to be kind. To try kindness, and to be kind to somebody!

You know, somebody said that “If you step on people in this life, you'll come back as a cockroach.” Now we don’t believe in reincarnation,

To smile, and to be pleasant to others. You know the way that you treat others is often the way that they’re going to treat you. And to really be somebody in life you’ve got to be kind. And that’s what Jesus is like.

Look at Proverbs. Come over here to Proverbs in your Bible. Proverbs chapter 15 and I’ll be reading according to the New International Version. Proverbs 15, and verse 30. “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart. And good news gives health to the bones.” Do you always look cheerful? Someone said “The eyes are the mirror of your soul.” Do you always look cheerful? Someone said “The eyes are the mirror of your soul.”

Will Rogers said, "I can live a long time on one compliment." We don’t give compliments very often. We ought to. Tell somebody how much you appreciate them. Christians should try to withhold critical words and lavish good words upon people. So begin in the morning with your own wife. Try praising her, even if it frightens her at first. Say something good to your children. Give a compliment. Be kind.

You know, a kind Christian leaves behind him a trail of happier people. Look at the people in your wake. Are they happier because you came by? Did you uplift somebody? Or did you leave them with a scowl on their face? Or feeling more depressed than they were before you arrived. If you come back just a page or two in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 12, look at verse 25. Proverbs 12:25. “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” I want to cheer people up. And I will tell you we need cheering up. The older we get, the more aches and pains we suffer. Have you noticed that? Are any of you a year older than you were this time last year? We get physical problems, emotional problems, and financial problems. One of the most common problems however of our age in our society is stress, leading to depression. A simple antidote to this is a little bit of couragement. We all like to receive it – but do we give it.

One New Years Day a millionaire, who prided himself in never giving a tip, had a tragedy come into his life. His chief accountant committed suicide and left a note. And the note said, "I have worked for you for 30 years and I have not had one word of encouragement from you in that whole time." Are you kind? Or are you like a dark thunder cloud? Try to look on the good side of everybody. Be a giver of courage. Jesus always looked for the best in people. He saw their potential he didn’t dwell on their weaknesses but encouraged their strengths. My Grandmother used to say “If you can’t say anything good about someone don’t say anything at all!” Do something kind for your neighbour. I was walking past my house to catch a bus to Gorleston to collect my car from the repair shop at a garage there. As I stood at the bust stop my neighbour drove up in his car and said my wife and I saw you leave your house and suspected you were going to collect your car so I have come to give you a lift. A little bit of kindness goes a long way, you know. We have such good neighbours, and kindness often cultivates kindness in return. Remember the summary Jesus made of the Ten commandments. Love God with all your might and your neighbour as yourself. It’s easy to be kind to someone who is kind to you, but the real test for the Christian is to be kind to someone who has been unkind to them.

Look at Hebrews chapter 10 this text should encourage us to attend church, and especially as we see the day approaching. And we do. The last events of earths’s history are upon us. Look at Hebrews, chapter 10, and verse 25. I’m beginning with verse 24. “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” And then verse 25 talks about assembling yourselves together, and it says, “Let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Church members should encourage one another. When you see friends or family encourage them. Give them some courage. We certainly need it in this day and age. And then verse 25 talks about assembling yourselves together, and it says, Church members should encourage one another. When you see friends or family encourage them. Give them some courage. We certainly need it in this day and age.

You may have little time for politicians, or members of the royal family, but the heavy responsibility takes it’s toll, and they need encouragement like everyone else to make the right decisions. You may think they are impervious to criticism or insults, but an interesting story is related about Abraham Lincoln, the famous American president. On American television, the PBS chairman showed a little blue box that had the contents of Abraham Lincoln’s pockets on the night that he was shot on April 14, 1865. They emptied his pockets and put the contents in a little blue box. And there were five things in his pocket. Now what do you carry in your pocket? Well, in his pocket was a handkerchief, and it was monogrammed, A Lincoln. Then there was a small pen knife. There was a glass case which was repaired with a string. He had a purse with a five dollar bill in it of confederate money. And he had some old newspaper clippings. And that’s all he had in his pockets.

They examined the newspaper clippings. And all of the clippings were concerned with the great deeds of Abraham Lincoln. One of them was a report by a speech of John Bright which said Abraham Lincoln was "One of the greatest men of all times." Well, today we know that. But back in 1865 he was under some heavy criticism. People were saying, “You’re destroying the nation. We’re in a civil war. What are you doing about it?” He had all kinds of criticism, and so he had a few little newspaper clippings to try to give himself some courage to go on. You know, you never realise, when you meet somebody, what they are facing. So give them something to help them to carry on.