Be Kindly Affectioned

GOD’S WORD DAILY

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 74 OCTOBER 2, 2001

WORD OF THE DAY: "BE KINDLY AFFECTIONED"

Scripture references: Romans 12:10

"Be kindly affectioned one to another with
     brotherly love; in honour [with value paid,
     i.e. with the highest esteem, dignity]
     preferring [leading the way for others;
     to show deference for] one another."

Here is another verse that shows us the way to pure love walk
relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We would not
dream of having impure relationships with our family members.
Instead, we may be tempted more toward selfishness or contempt.
We may be tempted to strive against our family members at
times we want our own way. This verse keeps us straight.

God wants us to be kindly affectioned toward each other. This means to
cherish one's kindred, to be fond of natural relatives, to be
brotherly toward one another. We are to cherish, to be fond of and
to be brotherly toward each other. God clearly distinguishes HOW
we ought to show our fondness for one another: with brotherly love.

What is brotherly love? It is not fighting like cats and dogs as some
families demonstrate!

Brotherly love is kindness. It is fraternal affection.

2 Peter 1:5-7

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to
your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to
temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to
brotherly kindness charity."

1 Peter 1:22

     "Seeing ye have purified your souls in
     obeying the truth through the Spirit unto
      unfeigned love of the brethren, see
     that ye love [agape; love with God's love]
      one another with a pure heart fervently."

Sometimes I just don't want to be kind. I want my own way and I may
trample on someone else to get it. Times like these dictate that I
need to suck it up, obey and be kind anyway. Instead of dwelling on
what I want or how I feel, I need to show honor to my brothers and
sisters, regarding them with high esteem, deferring to them instead,
putting their needs above my own. This, plain and simple,
is human decency and common courtesy. It is polite. It is dignified.
It is respectful. It is kind. It is friendly.

For example, my sister did not like me to wear her clothes. She had
some pretty cool clothes that I liked which I just had to wear.
So I'd wear them anyway. That made her very angry. I did not honor
her wishes nor respect her rights. We would argue and yell every
time I got caught. That is not dignified behavior. I did not defer to
her. I was not being kind. I was selfish and wanted my own way. I
put a stumbling block in my sister's way. I was so rude!

Nowadays, the temptation for me is not to wear my sister's clothing without
permission (they would not fit me now anyhow!!) It is to be
selfish and think only of myself and not others. It is to think of the
inconvenience to me rather than focussing on the benefit for someone
else. Like the time my friend needed yet another ride somewhere
during the height of rush hour. I was free and able to do it. I just
did not want to. Driving clear across town, through bad
neighborhoods, during rush hour, plus having to pay for all the
gas, is not something I enjoy doing. My friend had a need. I put
her need above my own wants and did it anyway. That is brotherly
love. I deferred to her. I honored her. I was kindly affectioned to her.

Dear God, give me ample opportunities to walk in brotherly love and to
do it without faking it, out of a pure heart. Amen.

-Carol Kenreigh

COMMENTS

Please mail comments to kenreigh@bww.com

God's Word Daily Back Issues 1-36
God's Word Daily BAck Issues 37-73
BACK TO What's New Page
BACK TO H₂Oart Home Page
BACK TO PFALgrad Home Page