The wife and I were up at Walmart the other day and as the wife and we were walking down one of the frozen food isles, another couple was there looking at the frozen vegetables. Whether they were married or not I don't know. The man was arguing with the woman over what brand of frozen peas to get. They weren't arguing very quietly either. His tirade of unkind derogatory comments to the woman I wouldn't dare put into print.
Just to break the situation up a bit I excused myself and reached into the same freezer compartment the couple had been looking in and grabbed a bag of peas. As I dropped them in our basket, I commented to the wife, loud enough that the other couple could hear me, "You know dear, these are the best peas I've every bought." The other couple glanced at me and picked up the same brand of peas I did. They then moved off down the isle.
I have to be honest in that when it comes to frozen peas, I really couldn't care less what brand we buy. Most of the time we use those we have canned up from last season so no frozen pea is going to compare to those we grow ourselves. We really didn't need those peas but it was a way to possibly put a stop to that awful scene.
As we were driving home, the Holy Spirit reminded me of a story I had heard some years back. "There was an old man who carried a little can of oil with him everywhere he went. If he passed through a door that squeaked, he poured a little oil on the hinges. If a gate was hard to open, he oiled the latch. He went through life lubricating all the hard places and making it easier for those who came after him. Some people called him eccentric, queer, cranky, odd, and other names. The old man went steadily on, refilling his can of oil when it became empty and oiling the hard places he found. He didn't wait either until he found a creaky door or a rusty hinge and then go home to get his oil. He carried it with him.
There are many lives that creak and grate harshly day by day. They need lubricating with the oil of kindness, gentleness, or thoughtfulness. That can of oil is predominantly one that characterizes a Christian, at least it should be. The task of using it belongs to those who claim to be Christians. As the old man kept his oil with him, so we need to keep our Christian kindness handy. It does no good if left at home or in the church.
Don't take my word for this. Just read what the Word has to say about the matter.
- Ephesians 4:32 tells us, “Be kind to one another,
tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you"
- Galatians 5:22-23 “But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
- Luke 6:35 "But
love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your
reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is
kind to ungrateful and evil men.”
- Colossians 3:12 “So,
as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; “
- Galatians 5:22 “But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness,”
en
you.”
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