Scripture: Ephesians 4:32
Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ.
Thought for the Day: After yesterday’s discussion on friendship in which I referenced some words from Henri Nouwen, I found the following words that also come from Nouwen:
When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.
In the Ephesians passage, the Greek word we translate as kind is: Chrestos. Strangely, the word can also be translated as useful. I find that very interesting for often kindness is syrupy sweet and not all that useful. Yet to align kindness with compassion and forgiveness is to speak of a kindness that is very real and impactful. A friend who is kind is one who is going to be useful, not in the sense of solving all my problems, but in knowing my pain and bringing the fullness of her/himself to my situation.
Prayer: I don’t always need answers, God. Often I just need a friend who will hear me as I attempt to put words to my struggles and pain. Thank you for the gift of friendship that is definitely divinely inspired. Amen.
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