The Key to Kindness

 

Kindness is at the very heart of the Christian gospel. The Bible calls us to embody compassion, forgiveness, and love, and history shows us powerful examples of this lived out in the UK during the 20th century, such as the work of the British Red Cross during wartime relief efforts.

In reality, kindness is not optional for Christians. It is commanded. Scripture reminds us to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” This verse captures the essence of kindness, rooted in God’s forgiveness and love. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus demonstrates kindness to the marginalised: the leper, the Samaritan woman and the tax collector, to name but three. His acts were not mere politeness but radical compassion that broke social barriers.

Special operations

 

As I write this, the world is reeling from the fallout of war. I know that, technically, nations prefer to speak about special operations and other expressions that describe their actions. Essentially, these terms aim to mitigate the harshness of the word ‘war’. 

Humans are naturally very vulnerable and need to protect their property, livelihoods and lives. In the case of nations, this often involves territory, intellectual property or routes to and from their markets. We live in an increasingly complex world where attacks on national well-being have moved on from military action to include cyber-attacks and other forms of warfare.

The potential for war is constant - most of us know the current locations - Israel, Gaza, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Israel, USA. In the past fifty years, wars have taken place in the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Vietnam and, sadly, many more locations.

Our proclivity to fight has existed from the beginning of time. Whether you think of the first murder case (Cain v Abel) or the first recorded war in the Bible between a five-nation v four-nation confederacy headed by the King of Sodom and the King of Shinar (ancient Iraq), aggressive action has always existed. 

Take some time out this week

 

Some people have good physical and mental health well into old age, but we are all different, and for many, these latter years can be a struggle. However, there are some advantages to growing older. I am writing to highlight these benefits to the individual and the wider society. 

Time to Think

In our busy lives, deep reflection often takes a backseat but taking time to think is crucial for effective decision-making, and certain jobs naturally provide more time for contemplation, such as those that involve long-distance travel.

Unfortunately, some people choose to avoid deep thinking about life and continually focus on the day-to-day grind. The Bible encourages both the young and old to consider life’s deeper issues. The wise sage Solomon wrote, "Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth," and Paul the Apostle said, "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel," Thinking is not wasted time if it leads to wise decisions and positive actions.

If you have not considered "the God question" or the afterlife, now may be the time to reflect on these matters before it's too late.

Life's Big Questions

 

We often ask questions like: Where did we come from in terms of the origin of life? Why is there so much evil in the world? Why can’t we ever seem to find peace? The answers to these big questions can be found in the book of Genesis in the Bible.

Genesis tells the story of our world—God's perfect creation, humanity's rebellion against Him, and the downward spiral that followed. The first book of the Bible describes significant social disruption, domestic abuse, and problems that regrettably have become normalized in our society. It recounts the first murder, lying, scamming, gang wars, riots, and other issues that bring us face-to-face with dysfunctional families and siblings betraying one another. Effectively, it portrays a society remarkably similar to ours, a world filled with selfishness. One major question arises: How did the world spiral out of control so quickly? The answer is later found in the holy scriptures: "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12, Legacy Standard Bible).