+DEV+ Loving-Kindness

Date: June 4, 2009 1:21 AM

Topic: +DEV+     Loving-Kindness

Loving-Kindness

Scripture Focus: Matthew  20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).

Augustine wrote, “What does love look like? It has hands to help others. It has feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sights and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.”

Love looks like Jesus‚ encounter with Bartimaeus and the other blind beggar in today’s reading. The crowd tried to hush up the two men as they shouted to Jesus for mercy. But Jesus stopped to pay them attention, asking what He could do to help. He demonstrated loving-kindness by touching their eyes and giving them sight.

People all around us need our loving-kindness. To develop this bridge builder, think of at least one way you can practice each of these characteristics of love from 1 Corinthians 13:

• patience

• no keeping record of wrongs

• kindness

• no delight in evil

• no envy

• rejoicing with truth

• no boasting

• always protecting

• no pride

• always trusting

• no rudeness

• always hoping

• no self-seeking

• always persevering

• no easy anger 

Insight: How can you use your hands, your feet, your eyes, your ears, or your mouth to show loving-kindness to someone today?