New Week, New Grace

Last night I went to a ladies' meeting. The topic? Kindness. The result of the time well spent there. Zing! I have been convicted (that's what Zing means) and the verse that did it? Here:

If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 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 is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Luke 6:32-35

The speaker (my good friend Ruth) went on to explain how often, our own family can qualify as "enemies" when their needs or desires are in opposition to our own. Zing! And I would add that it's not my children or husband intentionally being my enemy; rather, the sinfulness of my heart makes me become their enemy. So...God is obviously after something here in my heart. I would guess it's probably sanctifying my big, fat, selfish heart. :-) To end, Ruth shared some ways to combat unkindness, and of course the one that struck me was prayer. She read two different prayers in Ephesians (1:16-23 & 3:14-19) and encouraged us to pray for faith in the power of God, and a greater understanding of the attributes of God, in particular of His love for us. Yeah, I'd say that could be helpful. Lord, HELP ME!!! (This is a common prayer of mine, while it is appropriately desperate for God, it is generally unspecific and lazy. Seeking the face of God, the knowledge of Him, asking for reminders of His faithfulness in order to create more faith in His future grace...these things would do my heart more good than clamoring like a newborn for unspecified help).