In Barry H. Corey’s book, loving kindness, he attempts to show how kindness is a Christian virtue. According to him, it has been lost and through his book he attempts to show what kindness would look like lived out. He sees it as a mandate from God and not just an atribute. Kindness is not a characteristic some have and others do not. It obviously comes more naturally to others but whether it comes naturally or not believers must strive for it through the guidance and wisdom of God.
From childhood it was instilled in us to be nice, agreeable, and as we aged we became aware that there is also an expectation our society puts out that we are to be polite, to be nice. That expectation of niceness continues throughout our lives. Niceness makes us soft and can even make us weak. Because of the expectation that has been imprinted upon us it is possible that we may be …show more content…
Corey attempts to depict throughout his book, Love Kindness. Corey describes it as the soft edges to a firm center (xv). In my opinion Christians have lost sight of kindness as a Christian value. We either reject others and treat them as if they are not people or we water down the Gospel and endorse their immoral behavior. Neither extreme is not what God wants of us. We have lost our ability to empathize, to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. I have personally experienced the hard center, hard edges of the church as Corey describes in his book. So often churches ignore the pain and sinful struggles of others because it makes them uncomfortable. In reality we are to be receivable so they may know God and have a glimpse of His unconditional love. In Matthew 10:40 it says, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” Kindness cannot merely be random acts but a lifestyle. We should never expect to be recieve thanks for our either. We should show kindness because of the love we receive from God, not because it makes us feel
From childhood it was instilled in us to be nice, agreeable, and as we aged we became aware that there is also an expectation our society puts out that we are to be polite, to be nice. That expectation of niceness continues throughout our lives. Niceness makes us soft and can even make us weak. Because of the expectation that has been imprinted upon us it is possible that we may be …show more content…
Corey attempts to depict throughout his book, Love Kindness. Corey describes it as the soft edges to a firm center (xv). In my opinion Christians have lost sight of kindness as a Christian value. We either reject others and treat them as if they are not people or we water down the Gospel and endorse their immoral behavior. Neither extreme is not what God wants of us. We have lost our ability to empathize, to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. I have personally experienced the hard center, hard edges of the church as Corey describes in his book. So often churches ignore the pain and sinful struggles of others because it makes them uncomfortable. In reality we are to be receivable so they may know God and have a glimpse of His unconditional love. In Matthew 10:40 it says, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” Kindness cannot merely be random acts but a lifestyle. We should never expect to be recieve thanks for our either. We should show kindness because of the love we receive from God, not because it makes us feel