So keep something your Matthew 5 we will come back later towards the end of the sermon
But if you would go over to Proverbs chapter 31 Proverbs chapter 31
I want to talk to you or preach to you this morning rather about the subject of being kind the subject of being kind
You know and this is an important subject because of the fact that you know sometimes we as God's people get this rap
Especially if you're in a church like this where there's a lot of hard preaching with a tire counsel the word of God is preached
But sometimes people think oh, you're just mean-spirited angry people and sometimes you know we can you know
We can lend some validity to that to that that accusation now of course. There's times to be stern
There's times to be blunt
There's times to be very straightforward and to not hold anything back
But I think another thing that sometimes gets left off is the fact that we are to be very kind people
You know if you look there in Proverbs chapter 31, and this is of course you know talking about the virtuous woman
It says there in verse 26
one of the great attributes that the virtuous woman has is that she opened her mouth with wisdom and
Her in her tongue is the law of kindness
That's where I get the title for the sermon this morning the law of kindness
It said it's found there in her tongue when she opens her mouth with wisdom. It's there in her tongue this law of kindness
Now you would say well, you know this is talking about the virtuous woman so this only applies to her right
But we'll see in Scripture this morning that you know being unkind
You know is becoming of any Christian. This isn't just a feminine attribute
This isn't just something that's reserved only for the virtuous woman
This is a virtue that we all as God's people
Should desire to have our lot in our lives and that it should be said of all of us that in our tongue is found
the law of kindness
It's not just for this you know the virtuous woman, it's not just a feminine attribute now of course
You know guys they need to be tough. They need to be you know rough
They need to be able to be a little more blunt at times, but even as men
You know we should be the law of kindness should be found in our mouth as well
Go over to Ephesians chapter 1 Ephesians chapter 1
Ephesians chapter 1 and when you get there go ahead and bookmark Ephesians 1. We're gonna come back again
You know being kind
Isn't just for the virtuous woman
It's for all of God's people and I can say that
Assuredly because of the fact that kindness is an attribute of the Lord
And we all know that God is a man and that God you know he's called the Heavenly Father
And he is a very he's very kind the Bible says in Psalms
117 it says oh praise the Lord all you nations praise him all you people for his merciful
Kindness is great toward us. You know God is a very kind God
God is a very merciful God, and we as God's people should be kind and merciful people
We should have the law of kindness found in our mouths
Go to Ephesians chapter 1
You know it's interesting there in Psalms
117 it says praise the Lord all you nations praise him all you people
And what's the reason behind that why should they praise him? Why should all nations and all people praise God?
for his merciful kindness is
Great toward us look there and pro or excuse me Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4
But God who is rich in mercy
For his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead and sins hath quickened us together
With Christ by grace are you saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus
Then the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us
through Christ Jesus
The Bible saying here that God has made us to sit in heavenly places and that in the ages to come
He's going to use us sitting in those heavenly places to show the exceeding riches of his grace
People are going to look at us throughout all ages
And they're gonna say they are an example of God's exceeding of the exceeding riches of God's grace
And how is it that we're gonna show that?
In his kindness toward us is the fact that Christ saved us
The fact the great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead and sins that God was very kind
Toward us and saved us through Christ Jesus and that that is gonna what we are going to be an example of throughout all ages
That we are gonna be the examples of God's exceeding riches of his grace his kindness toward us
so we see right out of the gate here that the law of kindness is something we should all have and
It's not just for ladies because of the fact that God is very kind and that throughout all ages
We are going to be an example to everybody of God's kindness towards us
Not only should we be kind not only should the law of kindness be found in our tongues because of the fact that God is
Kind but because of the simple fact that being kind is a commandment, you know, it's the law of kindness
It's a commandment to be kind
Go over to 1st Peter chapter 3 1st Peter chapter 3
This is all throughout the New Testament and the Bible
We could spend the whole morning is talking about God's kindness toward us
But God has also commanded us to be kind
First Peter chapter 3 look at verse 8. It says finally be all of one mind having compassion one of another
Love is brethren be pitiful be courteous
Not rendering evil for even evil railing for railing but contrary wise blessing
Knowing that you're here on to call there unto called that you should inherit a blessing
For he that will love life and see good days
Let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile now, maybe the word kind isn't there
But we actually do see for sure there in verse 8, you know the attributes of being kind action
You know kind actions are laid out there having compassion one of another that's a kind thing to do to have compassion on somebody
To love as brethren, you know loving, you know be God's loving kindness
We are to love one another to be pitiful, you know to have mercy on people to be courteous
You know, that's something that's really missing in society. They just common courtesy
You know, and that's one thing that that even if the world could grasp ahold of would be great, you know
Not that it's gone completely some people still get it
You know, they'll go ahead and hold the door open say hello look in the eye now
I know this time of year and in Southwest it gets really hard to be kind everybody because it's you know
100-whatever degrees and everyone's just kind of on edge, you know, and everyone's getting a little irritable
But you know, even when things aren't going well, we should still strive to be kind with with one another and not just brethren
You know, we should try to be kind to everybody that we come in contact with out in the world
Go over to
2nd Peter chapter 1 the Bible says in Colossians 3 go to 2nd Peter chapter 1
Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy
Kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering
Maybe that's part of the reason why people fail to be kind sometimes because it takes humility
Sometimes it takes humility to turn that blinker on and just be like, alright, you can go faster than me and pull over
Let me be courteous here. Let me go let you go by. All right, let me hold the door open
Let me look you in the eye and say good morning. Good afternoon. Whatever it is. Let me say thank you, please
Being courteous these all require humbleness of mine
But we're supposed to put these things on as the elect of God
You know, holy beloved bowels of mercy. These things should be deep rooted in us
Kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering forbearing one another
Forgiving one another and if any man have 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 you are called also in one body and being he thankful
You're going over to 2nd Peter. I'll continue to read to you from Titus chapter 3
It says put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey magistrates to be ready to every good work
To speak evil of no man to be no brawlers, but gentle showing all meekness unto all men
You know
This is a commandment for us to be kind in the New Testament towards all men for we ourselves
Were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived
Serving diverse lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy. These are the things that are opposite of kindness to be malicious to be envious
Hateful and hating one another but after the kindness and love of God our Savior
Toward toward man appeared
Not by works of righteousness, which we have done but according to his mercy
He saved us by the washing of regeneration a renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Savior, you know, even when we were living in malice when we were envious when we were hateful and
Hating one another when we were all these bad things
You know the kindness and of God still appeared towards us and the love of God through our Savior appeared towards all men
The Bible says in Colossians chapter 4 let your speech be always with grace
Season with salt that you may know how you ought to answer every man now, that's a very familiar verse
You'll hear that brought up a lot and people, you know, I kind of think I feel like it's misapplied a little bit
I think when people read that they read it like this
They may know what you ought to answer every man and sometimes we get caught up and you know
They apply this a lot to soul winning and saying
You know when you got to go out soul winning gotta be able make sure you know how to answer the Mormon and the Jehovah
Witness and this false, you know cult and this cult and whatever you got to know how to talk to every person
You know based on whatever their background is saying, you know what you ought to answer every man, okay?
But really the truth is there's one gospel for everybody and that's another subject
But it says here that you may know how you ought to answer every man
More importantly than what you're actually going to answer is a lot of times how you go about answering them
You know a lot of times people go out soul winning and they knock on doors and they can't get anybody to talk to them
And it's not really what they're saying. It's how they're saying it
That's the problem
And he's saying let your speech be all we with grace season with salt if there's one place you want to have the law of
Kindness in your mouth. It's when you're trying to preach the gospel to somebody
And that's not the time to you know, knock on their door and start pointing out
You know everything that's wrong with their life and you know
Hey
I couldn't help but notice on my way up to your door that you've got you know an
Idolatrous statue of Mary in the front yard and boy have they got some down here, right? They've got some some whoppers
I've seen some you know good ones as far as you know
Idolatrous strategies go they got pyramids in the front yard. Remember that? Yeah, it's crazy
Never seen anything like that. We're gonna walk up that door and be like, you know, you know, hey
I'm from faith word Baptist Church, you know, you should really burn that down
You know, I just I couldn't help it
I kind of kicked it over in my way up here and smash it a thousand pieces and here's why
You know, that's not letting your speech being all we with grace, you know, and again
I know there's a time when we ought to you know
You know, you know after the first and second admonition, you know reject the heretic that some people need to be rebuked sharply
but I think it's few and far between you know,
most of the time the vast majority of the time when we're out there talking to people trying to preach that you know the
Love and the kindness and the mercy and the grace of God
That's the time to let your speech be seasoned with grace and be careful how you are
How you answer every man now? I had you go to second Peter
chapter 1 look at verse 5 it says and beside this giving all diligence add to your faith virtue and virtue knowledge and a
knowledge temperance and a temperance patience and the patience godliness and the
Godliness brotherly kindness and a brotherly kindness charity
So again having the law of kindness in your mouth being a kind person is a commandment. It's a law
It's something that God tells us to do to add brotherly kindness to our faith
The Bible says in John chapter 13 a new commandment
I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples
You know if you wear a badge
You know if you wear a hat that says faithful word, you know or whatever
Is that how everyone's gonna know what you know, we've got an armband or something
Something that they could visually look at us and identify us as you know brethren
No, he said if you love if you have loved one toward another
You know the world should look at us as Christians and should say
Look at the way these people are so kind to one another look how they care about each other
Look how meek and long-suffering and patient look at the brotherly love that they have towards one another
They say why can't you know that's different than what's out in the world. They're very courteous. They're pitiful. They're merciful
These should be the things that
You know
That we shine let these are the good works that we should shine that all men may glorify our Father which is in heaven
These are the things that that people should look at in our life and say there's something about these Christians
There's something different
but if they look in and all they see is just a bunch of bickering and backbiting and anger and
Malice and enviousness, you know, they're gonna say well, what's what's different? I got plenty of that out in the world
You know, I and you know, I go to church and everyone's just you know, no one shakes my hand
No one says hello some visitor walks now. Thank God that isn't a problem here. You know, everybody here is great about that
Visitor walks in you know, they're getting handshakes. They're getting greeted. I think it's great
And that's the way it ought to be but let's keep it that way. I
Mean people they're looking to get treated poorly. They can just you know, go out in the world just about anywhere
That shouldn't be said of God's people though
They should look at us and see the love that we have one to know one to another and say these must be Jesus's disciples
So people are to be kind, you know, they're to be kind because it's a commandment
It's a law that God has given us the law of kindness now. I know this isn't you know, the show-stopping sermon
Okay, I know this isn't gonna be the viral, you know, you know million hits on YouTube or whatever
Sermon and it's unfortunate because really it's you know that YouTube the online crowd could really stand a good dose of this
You know because there's a lot of unkindness on social media because it's so easy to be unkind on social media when you're anonymous
Well, no, you know
You have to look anybody in the face and actually say the things you're about to say
Well, no one even knows who you are. You can just kind of let it all hang out
You can just say whatever you can be as kind unkind and rude and crass as you want and there's no really no repercussions
I mean other than the fact that God sees other than the fact that God knows what's being said and
People, you know, they need but we all need this
We all need to be reminded to be kind, you know, because our nature is to be unkind
We are you by nature, you know the spirit that dwelleth in us lust it to envy
You know the spirit the spirit of man is that them is is a you know is a is a a covetous, you know
It's a covetous spirit that lust to envy the Bible says and if we just let the old man have his way
You know, we're gonna end up being unkind people
It's something we have to put into practice
And people are often unkind and how are they unkind?
Well often they're unkind in their actions, right? That's a big thing
But you know more so they're unkind in their words, but they are unkind in their actions and what they do to others
You know what they might actually, you know go out of their way to do to somebody
And there's you know, we could go on and on about that
There's so many different ways where we could I always you know, my mind is always goes back to traffic
Probably cuz I every time I come down here I'm spending an hour and a half on the road, right?
It's like I've always I feel like that's the one illustration. That's always just at hand for me
You know people are always unkind on the road, you know, it just seems like it's getting worse
But you know, there's probably other other examples. You know, I don't want to I
Mean can anybody else think of a way that sometimes people are just unkind out in the world
No one's got anything you got one
Yeah, the mask wearing okay
Yeah. Yeah. There you go. That's a good example. You know people want to just tear each other apart, you know
You're not wearing a mask. You should be wearing a mask and just start going at it. That could be one way
You know, everyone has got different opinions about that
But we don't have to always go out of her way to like, you know beat somebody up over it or something
You know let the establishment handle that right?
There was but you get it people do things all the time that are just rude
sometimes I remember one time I went into a Panda Express and
You know, it was like the first time I'd gone into Panda Express and I didn't really know how it worked
so I kind of walked up there and
then the guy there was another lady standing next to me and the guy came to me and
Asked me what I wanted and she hadn't ordered yet and she was there ahead of me
So I just started telling him and she just kind of looks at oh, I guess I'm not here then, you know
She got I was like, oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize he had an order go right ahead, you know
But people do unkind things. I don't know if that was I was actually being kind by you know, say go ahead, but
People do unkind things to each other right one way people are unkind is that they don't always show mercy
You know go over to Luke's chapter 6 Luke Luke chapter 6. I
Mean
That's how we were ended at Matthew chapter 5
Do good to them that hate you now love your enemies bless them that curse you
That's what he repeats over here in Luke chapter 6 he says love your enemies and do good and land
Hoping for nothing again and your reward shall be great
And he shall be the children of the highest for he is kind
Under the unthankful and to the evil that be ye therefore merciful see how being kind and being merciful are
Intertwined there how they're rather they mean the same thing. You say hey be kind under the unthankful
He's kind of the unthankful and the evil be therefore merciful as your father also is merciful
You know God being kind to the unthankful and to the evil is him being merciful unto them
And one way people are very unkind weren't towards one another is they're not merciful
And people need to learn to be merciful one toward another
You know and here's the thing here's a good reason why you should be merciful to another person
It's not just because it's the what God commands, but because you know who's you know blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy
God will show mercy unto the merciful and
Here's the thing we're all gonna need mercy at some point every last one of us
Is gonna need you know others to be merciful towards us to be kind to be forgiving
We're gonna need God to be merciful towards us. You know many times
So if we want that from God if we want God to be merciful to us
Then we have to extend that same courtesy to others and be kind and be merciful
So people are often unkind in their actions and one way
One action that they that they'll be on the that the one action that is unkind
I should say is that they don't show mercy. They're unmerciful
But even more than what people do it's it's what they say people are probably most unkind with their words the way they use their
words I
Mean did you notice as we are reading all those scriptures this morning all those scriptures that I read how often the?
Communication was associated with kindness love as brethren not rendering railing for railing but contrarized blessing
Those are things that are done with your mouth, you know the railing and the blessing are both done with the tongue
Speak evil of no man. It said you know again speaking. What did it say in Proverbs where we read this morning?
She she opened her mouth with her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is a lot of kindness
You know one of the one of the main ways that people are unkind
Is with their mouth you know and today we have so much more opportunity to be unkind
Thanks to social media. There's so much more opportunity to use. Maybe not our mouth per se but to use communication
To express our thoughts and feelings and opinions and oftentimes. You know we can be very unkind about it
There's a lot of unkindness that comes from from the mouth go to Ephesians chapter 4 Ephesians chapter 4
Communication is is
Associated often with being kind in the Bible
God warns us when he tells us you know to have the law of kindness in our mouth
he goes on it, and we see just example after example after example of
Watching how we use our mouth how we express or ourselves how we communicate?
Look at Ephesians chapter 4 verse 21 look let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth
Now most people when they read that they just assume when he's talking about you know
potty talk you know or
Having a cock-a-mouth or whatever you know which we shouldn't have either, but look at the context here
Let no corrupt
communication proceed out of your mouth
but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers and
Grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby you're sealed on the day of redemption
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice
So that corrupt communication proceeds out of your mouth, and it grieves the Holy Spirit
It does not minister grace under the here under the years, and what is it involved in verse 31 bitterness wrath?
Anger clamor and evil speaking he goes on and says in verse 32 and being ye kind one to another
One of the best ways we can show kindness towards other people is with our mouth by not
Being bitter by not being wrathful or angry or clamorous and having evil speaking in our mouth towards other people
But rather you know being kind one another involves being tender-hearted
Forgiving one another even as Christ God for even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you
Go over to James chapter 3 another very familiar passage
People are unkind with their words the Bible says that the law of kindness should be in our mouth
That we should open our mouth with wisdom
That we should be careful about what we say
It says in James chapter 3 verse 8, but the tongue can no man tame it is an unruly evil full of deadly poison
Therewith bless we God even the Father and therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing my brethren these things ought not to so so to be
Doth the fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter so he's saying look the tongue is
An unruly evil it's full of deadly poison
We bless God and then we curse men and he says that of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing
They both come out of the same fountain
You know the water that is sweet and bitter and he says these things ought not to be so
And I think sometimes we read that and we think James has given us an option
Like hey, it can't be both so pick one, you know, that's not what he's saying here
Well, I can't you know, well James, I guess if I got to pick one, I'm just gonna go with cursing then
I'll just get rid of the sweet water and just be all bitter
That's not what he's saying
If we're going to obey the law of kindness if we're going to be kind people if people are going to look at us and say
These are Christ's disciples
The law of kindness is found where in their mouth we must tame the tongue
If we're going to obey the law of kindness, we must tame the tongue
Bring it into subjection
You know, we all know James 3 the tongue is a powerful member of our body
He compares it under the helm of a small helm of a great ship that can drive that ship against fierce winds
He says behold how little a matter
How little a matter a little fire kindleth how great a matter a little fire kindleth
You know, we got a great example of that over in Mount Lemmon this summer, right?
One little lightning strike just
How many you know tens of thousands of acres burned? I think it's in triple digits like a six-figure number. I think now
It's way up there and it was just one little lightning strike
And he's saying look your tongue is the same way if you don't have the law of kindness in your mouth
Just one want to say one thing
Just be rude one time just curse somebody one time and it can just grow and it can just become a great fire
Go over to Proverbs chapter 10, we're gonna look at quite a few passages here in Proverbs Proverbs chapter 10
If we're going to be a law of kindness, we must tame the tongue
He says Proverbs chapter 10
I'll begin reading in verse 18 he that hideth hatred with lying lips and he that utter a slander is a fool in
The multitude of words there wanteth not sin
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin
He that refraineth his lips is wise, you know, that's a really good passage to think about
That's something we should think about often. Is that in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin
But he that refraineth his lips is wise
You know
Let me just bring it into the modern vernacular here. Sometimes it's good to just shut up
And the Bible says that you know if thou is done foolishly lifting up thyself lay thine hand upon thy mouth
You know, it's a very eloquent way of saying shut up
basically
And sometimes that would keep us out of a lot of trouble. I mean I do it all the time
Well, not all the time. It's gotten less and less
You know, I'll be on I'll be on Facebook or YouTube or wherever. I'll start typing something. I'll be like, yeah
Delete it's not worth it
Is it just it's just cursing it's just wrath it's just anger it's just malice
It's not kindness. It's not mercy. It's not love
You're like well, you don't understand what they said they really had it coming
Well, you know what you might get drawn into something that just leads to sin
it says in verse 20 the tongue of the just is as choice silver and
The heart of the wicked is of little worth the lips of the righteous feet of many but fools die for want of wisdom
I love that that the tongue of the just is as choice silver
You know, that's a very precious thing
It's something that has great value and we are the just if we're just you know, we're justified in Christ
We have the Spirit of God dwelling within us. Our tongue should be as choice silver. It should be of great worth
And we'll see here what he means by that go over to Proverbs chapter 15 Proverbs chapter 15
The Bible says there is that speaketh like this the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise is health
The law of kindness in our mouth is going to is going to edify people it's going to bring health to them
It's going to encourage them. It's going to lift people up
It's not going to be like the piercings of a sword or just hurts or just wounds
The Bible says in Proverbs chapter 15 a wholesome tongue is a tree of life
But perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit says it's a tree of life
You know, I just you can't help but think about soul-winding when you read that preaching the gospel
What is it that makes the the tongue of the just as choice silver? It's the fact that it is a tree of life
That's in your mouth
You have the ability to preach the gospel, you know to bring forth fruit
Under God go over to Proverbs chapter 15 look at verse 23
The Bible says in verse 23 a man hath joy by the answer of his mouth a
Word spoken in due season how good it is in due season
How good a word spoken in due season how good it is?
You know when you when you say the right thing at the right time, yeah brings you joy
I'm not just talking about you know, when you think about the word spoken in due season
I'm not just talking about, you know, when you think of that great comeback
You know, somebody says something you're thinking about it later. You're like, oh I should have said that
Alright, that's not what it's talking about. Okay
You know when somebody actually has a problem when somebody has a need and you have you're like
Oh, I know what just what to say to that person and then it helps them, you know, it's a it's it's
What is it? It's it's a health to them it says
Go over to Proverbs chapter 25
You know that the tongue of the of the just is as choice silver. It's very valuable
You know the tongue in our mouth is very powerful member
There's a lot of strength in it says in Proverbs 18 death and life are in the power of the tongue
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. You could take your tongue and destroy somebody
You know we go out with the wrong thing
And destroy somebody
You know, we go out with the wrong spirit the wrong attitude
The law of kindness is not in our mouth
I'll soul winning we run into somebody that where we were just having a bad day. It's a hundred and whatever
Brother Corbin went really way too long this morning in that sermon, you know
You were just kind of a bad attitude and we get to the wrong door the wrong, you know
They just say something it just sets us off
And that person's like well, I see what those Christians are all about and
Then the next time some soul winner comes are like
Yeah, I remember the last guy and we have to be careful about that, you know, and I've been guilty of that
You know getting in the flesh out there. It's it can happen
You know, you find yourself standing in the street yelling at them, you know, then you're gonna try and go to their neighbor
Their neighbor's been looking out the window the whole time watching you
Then they see you come and walk up the door just
Turn off the lights
Nobody's home, right and what happened death?
You know, maybe it wasn't what you said directly to that person
But maybe they overheard you say something to somebody and now they don't want to hear what you have to say death and life for
in the power of the tongue
You're there in Proverbs 25. It says a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold and pictures of silver
Knowing the right and what to say at the right time knowing the right thing to say at the right time
Look at Proverbs 25 verse 15
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded and a soft tongue breaketh the bone
It's that word fitly spoken and saying the right thing at the right time
by long forbearing
You know by knowing, you know, this isn't the time to say anything about this, you know
that sometimes when I was reading this just made me think about
You know wives that want to get something out of their husband
You know how they gets how they get them to do things that they need done around the house
Typically if they're anything like me the more my wife, you know, I want to say nag is she doesn't nag
But the more she's like, can you do this? Can you do this? Can you do this?
The more I'm just like I'm not gonna do it then
Because you're telling me what to do, right?
But you know what when when it's it when it's a long forbearing, you know when she says it at the right time
When she puts the let the list out, you know, it just just leaves it by the wallet. There's just a list of things
Didn't say anything
Through her patience through her long forbearing and putting up with my stubbornness
you know that saw that that that tongue what what does it do the soft tongue break at the bone and
The prince right he says alright, you know, I'll go change the bank address or I'll go get the water or whatever
It is I'm supposed to be doing as a husband
Shame on me anyway, right?
But by long forbearing is a prince persuaded, you know, that's that's something we need to apply in our life
You know, maybe there's somebody that we're having a hard time with
Maybe there's somebody that we need to we want them to to change or do something for us
The way to go about getting that is not to just harp and nag and berate and speak evil about
but to wait
Wait for the right moment
Have a word fitly spoken say the right thing at the right time and you can really change people, you know again going back to
the gospel a lot of us have you know
Unsaved loved ones and if you're anything like almost every person gets saved when they first get saved
What do they do they go right to the family and they tell everybody how to get saved and that they need to get saved
And everything that's wrong with what they used to believe
You know, it's especially hard with parents, you know when you get saved and then you go to your parents
You know two hours later or whatever, you know immediately and you're just you're like
Let me just answer life's most complex question mom and dad. I figured it out, you know
I know you couldn't tell me the meaning of life and you could tell me anything about the afterlife
But I'm here to tell you now and then we're surprised that they don't want to hear it
Then we get discouraged
Well, maybe what we should do is just have some long forbearing
You know with our loved ones with our parents with our brothers with our sisters with our immediate family members who've seen this change in you
You have some long forbearing and wait for a word fitly spoken and it'll be it'll be a soft tongue
That does what that breaks the bone?
That gets them to yield that will get them to finally listen and get saved
If the law of kindness is gonna you know
If we're gonna be kind people if we're gonna have obey the law of kindness, it has to be in our mouth
because that's where people seem to do the most damage is with the tongue and
James says, you know that we have to bring it under subjection
But you know, I'll see else he said in that passage the tongue can no man tame
So it's kind of kind of seems like well, what's the point then I
Mean, we're supposed to have a law of kindness in our mouth
We've read all these proverbs about the blessing of you know, word fitly spoken
You know the joy the the the tongue of the justice is choice silver
We read all these things about the tongue in the mouth
And we're supposed to control it and say this and then we get to James and he reads the tongue. No man can tame
It's like what I give up
What do you mean James?
Well, what he's saying here is this is that we need God's help
We need God's help. We need to ask God to help us with the tongue
He says it, you know any man that can bright any man that can bridle the tongue can can you know can
Tame the whole body, you know, I'm paraphrasing
He could bring the whole body and subjection if you can tame your tongue
So many other things in your life will just line up with God so many other things in your Christian walk
Well, just if you just focus on that one thing words that come out of my mouth
Because you realize real quick that if you're gonna tame the tongue you're gonna needs God's help and you're gonna find yourself in prayer
You're gonna find yourself confessing. You're gonna find yourself asking God to help you Lord. How many control my tongue?
I'll be to say the right thing to this person help me to treat this person this way and so on and so forth
We need God's help to do it
You know what ways people that are unkind, you know, it's often what they do to each other
But it's also what they say most of the time and I'll close with this thought
Sometimes the way people are unkind is what they won't do for others. It's not always what we do to others
Sometimes it's in what we won't do. Okay, and I had you start out in Matthew 5 go back there
That's what we'll end this morning
The Bible says in first John 3
But who so hath this world's good and see if his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him
How dwelleth the love of God in him?
my little children
Let us not in love and word
neither in tongue
but indeed and in truth
You know, it's not just enough to say all the right things
Sometimes we have to be willing to do things for people you think oh, I'm gonna be a kind person
So I'm not gonna do certain things to some people
I'm not gonna I'm gonna make sure I don't say this or don't do that
But some a lot of times the way we're unkind is what we are we refuse to do for people
We shut up our bowels of compassion towards our own brethren
We see them going through a hard time or they have a need of some kind and we just say well, that's their problem
How do I love God in him?
How is how is the world gonna look at us and say these are Christ's disciples if we don't have love one toward another a
Lot of times the way we show that love one toward another is that we help each other out
And so many and there's a lot of different ways we can do that
But he says not to love and word neither in tongue, but indeed and in truth
It's not just to be you know, as James said a doer of the word
But to be doers of the word and not hearers only and we have to do these things not just hear them
Look at Matthew chapter 5 verse 38. He said this
Jesus said in verse 38 you have heard that it hath been said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
But I say to you they resist not evil
Now was it said eye for an eye tooth for a tooth? Yeah, that's the law
That's you know, that's in Deuteronomy and Exodus
That's that's part of the civil law that God gave and Jesus said, you know
Think not I came to destroy the law of the prophets that cannot destroy but to fulfill
For verily I say unto thee except one jot or one tittle shall know wise pass from the law to all be fulfilled
So he's not nullifying this law of eye for an eye or tooth for a tooth
But what I think he's pointing out here is that he's saying look you can't take the person you the civil law and apply
It to your personal grievances
Somebody does us wrong, you know, we just feel like well eye for an eye tooth for a tooth
Cut me off in traffic, you know right back at you
You know say something rude to me. I'm just gonna I'm gonna revile again because after all it's eye for an eye tooth for a tooth
It's eye for an eye tooth for a tooth literally in the law
You know if if a master smites a servant and lose an eye, you know
He goes free blemish for blemish eye for eye tooth for a tooth hand for hand foot for foot
That's what that's referring to that's a literal eye for eye tooth for tooth
He's saying look just because that's written a lot doesn't mean that every personal grievance you have against somebody
Means you get to be mean and vindictive back towards them if they treat you poorly
Well, I get to treat them poorly then that's not how it works
He said I say unto you that you resist not evil
But whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek turn to him the other also
And if a man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also
You know that the coat is the smaller garment underneath the cloak at least if you have the cloak, you know
You're covering most everything right? Oh, you need a coat. Well here have the cloak. It's even better
He's saying don't render evil for evil and whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with him twain
And every time I read that I can't help think about the one example that I've always thought about is helping a brother move. I
Hate moving
I hate it. I loathe having to pack everything up put in a van
Drive it unload it all then unpack it all I hate moving. But you know, I hate worse than that helping somebody else move
Because it's not my stuff
You know
I don't have the satisfaction of unloading everything and I don't know how many times have been asked to help people move since I've joined a
Baptist Church
Because I don't you know what but to be fair. I've I've called people plenty of times. I said hey, can you help me move? I
Remember the lat one of the last times when we moved to Michigan I decided I'm not gonna ask for any help
I moved everything on my own and it was it was miserable and I said you need to swallow your pride and ask for help
Because I hated helping other people move. I said, well, I don't want to help other people move
So I'm not gonna ask me else to help me move
I'm gonna give you know render eye for eye on this one, you know tooth for a tooth. You didn't help me
I'm not helping you
Right, but you know that compelling somebody to go a mile with you
Reminds me of like hey, can you help me with something? Will you go this distance with me?
Go with him twain, you know, let me let me let me help you load up and then I'll help you unload when I get there
Simple things like that
Really what this is boiling down to verse 42
He says give to them that ask at thee and from him that would borrow of thee turned out the way
You know giving them your coat the guy who's suing you at the law takes your coat say we'll have the cloak also
Some guy comes to you inconveniences you by saying hey, can you go a mile with me? I'll go with you twain
What are you saying here is basically that phrase? We probably all heard kill them with kindness
You never heard that phrase kill them with kindness
Instead of eye for an eye tooth for a tooth kill him with kindness
If you ever I remember somebody said to me, I had a problem with a co-worker and it was really petty
I'm not gonna go into the details, but you know, it's early on in my Christian life and
You know, I just remember just just being upset about something real stupid
I can't remember what it was and someone just said well, you know, just kill me kindness and that's like man
He's right
And that works do you ever had like somebody who just hates your guts doesn't like you
But then if you just do nice things for them, they kind of come around or at least they stop treating you poorly
Maybe just say something nice to him one day, you know by long forbearing you're putting up with all of their
You know all the things that they say the ones that one day you just say something nice and it breaks the bone, right?
Because here's the thing. Most people want to be treated kindly
No matter how rude or mean or angry they seem they want to be treated kindly
It's a strange person who doesn't want people to treat them nicely
You know, there's that's a whole nother sermon, right?
The Bible says in Proverbs chapter 19 if you would go to Chris Corinthians 13 will end there
It says the desire of a man is his kindness the desire of a man is his kindness
You know what people desire from other people?
You know, we desire from other men from other people is their kindness
And he said and a poor man is better than a liar
I'd rather have you know, a poor guy treat me nicely
Then some rich guy just lie to my face and treat me poorly
That makes sense. The desire man is his kindness. That's what we what we really want out of people
And a poor man is better than a liar. You know that the poor guy who treats me nice and it's kind to me
I'm gonna prefer that guy over some rich jerk. It just treats me like dirt
That's what most people want. Most people just want to be treated nicely and don't I mean don't all of us
Just want people to treat us nicely
Well, here's the thing in order to oblige people you have to love them
So, you know what? I'm gonna be nicer to people. I'm gonna be kind good luck doing that without loving them
Good luck being kind and nice to people if you don't love them. I
Mean, there's people we should hate right? We should hate those do not I hate them Oh Lord that hate thee
I hate them with perfect hatred. We just sang it this morning
But that's them that hate him, you know, we hate the Lord's enemies
It's not hate. We're gonna hate everybody. That's our enemy. There's a difference. I think we all understand that and
If we're gonna treat our enemies kindly those that hate us those that are our you know personal enemies
You know, we're gonna have to learn to love them if we want to you know
Break the bone by long with a soft tongue. You got to learn to love that person even the unlovable and
Hopefully out there all the scripture we read this morning. We would understand that we were pretty unlovable when God loved us. I
Mean God loved us when it looked down on us and said, I mean at any time God could have just went I'll start over
I mean how many times did he almost do that?
Go ask Noah how close he came where God would just say I'll just start over
How many times did he do that with Israel in the Old Testament?
You know come out get out of the way Moses. Let me just consume them all start over with you more than once
But God even then when he looked at us and saw how unlovable we were still loved us and what was he he was kind
Because he loved us in order to treat others kindly like they all want to be treated. You have to learn to love them
Look at 1st Corinthians chapter 13. It says charity suffereth long charity is an old, you know another word for love. It's suffers long
Means it puts up with a lot. It's willing to just go out there and take it on the chin in the world
It envieth not it vanteth not itself is not puffed up and now abideth faith
Hope charity these three but the greatest of these is charity
Look, if you want the law of kindness to be in your mouth, you're gonna have to tame the tongue
You're gonna have to tame the tongue. Yes, but you're also going to happen with God's help
But you're going to have to have charity in your heart. You're gonna have to love people
and I think a lot of times we have a hard time being nice to people or
We find ourselves it's if it comes very naturally to us to treat people poorly or be rude to people especially the unsaved
It's probably because we don't really love them
You know, we just because people they meet they just form, you know, you know such, you know
Splits decision just judgments. They just quickly, you know, size people up just from the way they look sometimes
They'll just see somebody and they'll say well, I don't like that person. She just goes the way they look
That's not a loving attitude
And you're not gonna love that person and you're not gonna treat that person kindly
Like you're supposed to because it's the law of kindness
You know, that's the kindness should be one of our main attributes as God's people
If people should you know describe us in just a few words the word kindness should come out of their mouth
They should say well, he's a very nice guy. He's kind
And in order to have that said of you you have to love people it says there
You know, the greatest of these is charity. It is love the greatest Christian virtue is love and
how is it going to manifest itself through kindness and
How is kindness gonna manifest itself through our words and through our deeds?
Let's go ahead pray