I was reminded this week of a statement a friend of mine voiced years ago.
“Be nice to each other.”
Five simple words that carry a big impact. Five simple words that circled back in my life this week. Yes, five simple words maybe our world (and me!) could use these days.
Dictionary.com defines the words be and nice this way:
be :: to exist or live
nice :: pleasing, agreeable, delightful, amiably pleasant, kind
Looks simple, doesn’t it? To be nice means to live delightful or pleasing, to exist amiably pleasant. We could come up with all sorts of combinations with these two definitions, couldn’t we?
Bottom line, be nice means to live kind.
But, executing a “live kind” life can be a different story.
Like when someone cuts me off in traffic or drives slower than I think he or she should. Or when someone hurts my feelings by his or her words or actions. Or especially when someone gets on my nerves and I cannot take it any longer.
I could do better at living kind.
Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 AMP
This one really hits home for me (italics mine):
Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
1 Thessalonians 5:14b-15 MSG
Yikes. These are timely for me today.
Yes, being nice can be easier said than done.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I tend to consider myself a “nice” person, and I don’t set out to lose my patience with others or be mean. But, goodness, do I always look for the best in each other, and always do my best to bring it out? No. I don’t. Do I encourage the stragglers and reach out to the exhausted? Am I patient with everyone? Umm, no.
Friend, I sure hope you can say yes to all those questions. I pray you have this being nice thing mastered. But, if you struggle some days too, at least we are in good company together! We try, don’t we? We strive to be nice and live kind, but some days we just don’t do so well.
So, what do we do?
In those areas of life we my struggle, thankfully, help is available. No, not from some self-help book or a blog post or a magazine article. Not even from a friend. Help is available from our Creator. We can ask God to help us in our struggles!
As simple as it may read, it’s true. Join me in praying for God’s help for you and me to be nice, to prompt us to live kind. To ALL people, ALL day long, EVERYWHERE we go, in EVERYTHING we do.
Father God, thank You for Your Word that prompts us to live according to Your ways. Thank You for not leaving us as we are, but for working in our hearts and lives to be more like Your Son, Jesus. Father, we ask You to help us to live a life of love, to be nice, and to show kindness to all we come in contact with today. To be the kind of people You desire us to be. To show compassion, kindness, patience, and gentleness. We can’t do this on our own strength, but in Your strength, we can. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
What are some ways you can be nice and live kind today? I’d love to read them. And, if at the end of the day you have some examples of how God helped you in this way, I invite you to stop back in and share!
Be nice. Let’s impact our world by living kind today.
Blessings!
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I spent years being patient in my classrooms. I had patience with my own children. I even had patience with my husband….well most of the time…. But, put me behind the wheel of my car and look out! Putting my car in drive somehow puts my impatience and unkindness into gear!!! Those I inflict it on can’t hear me but maybe just maybe they get the idea when my bumper is close to theirs??? But the Lord knows every mean, nasty thing I say and think! It is really something I’m trying to work on. This is a great reminder to me Julie. God uses your words so often to speak to me! So, my goal is to realize that I don’t know the circumstances of the other drivers around me so I need to be kind and considerate instead of letting my blood pressure go up! I’m going to need to repeat your prayer!
I hear you, friend. Behind the wheel is where my not nice words can come flowing out of my mouth freely. I’m working on this too! Praying the prayer daily. I can’t do it on my own strength or with my own will. Thanks for being here, Cindy! God’s working on and in us!
This is a good word, Julie. Just the other day, I felt irritated when a truck behind me in 30 mph rush hour freeway traffic was flashing his lights at me, so I’d move over and let him advance 10 yards. I thought, “Well, I can either get in a fight with someone here on the freeway, or I can act as if I have the Holy Spirit living in me and move over!”
Betsy, this is so good! Love your response… may mine be more like that every single day. Thanks for sharing here, friend. Bless you!