A Call to "KIND" ness

As the events of the past few weeks (or should I say the past decade) have unfolded it has become increasingly hard to remain rooted in the messy middle. However, at the core of the messy middle, we find a call to a Gospel of “KIND” ness. This is a sacred space where we see each other as fellow humans worthy of dignity & respect, rather than as enemies to be defeated.

I developed this KIND acronym for a recent sermon to communicate clearly the true call of the Gospel Jesus proclaimed. Let me unpack it for you.

Know your identity. You are created by a God who loves you deeply, who has called you  His unique masterpiece, who smiles every time He thinks of you. This identity should cause you to live your life for the betterment of others.

Include Everyone You Encounter in your journey. As your life unfolds be sure to create space for the wide variety of fellow humans you will encounter. Seek to build a tribe that includes diverse beliefs, cultural backgrounds, races, religion, and work extra hard to be like Jesus to ensure those who are on the margins find space at your tables.

Notify them of the Grace you so readily embrace for yourself. As you live your life be certain that you are known for your grace, love, and kindness. The Jesus I follow has come to proclaim a Gospel of grace, not one of shame. Remember the grace you embrace was purchased at a great cost so that you can freely share it, not so that you can hoard it for yourself.

Defer to the God you claim to follow, if you are a Christian, regarding the difficult topic of sin. God knows what sin you have committed in your life but He still shows you grace every day. You have not been deputized as the “sin sheriff” tasked with condemning anyone. Rather, you are a grace dispenser for everyone you encounter. As a pastor, I do believe that sin is real, that sin separates us from God, that many sins are clearly defined in the Bible, and that through faith in Jesus ALL sin is forgiven. Simply put worry about yourself and thank God for the grace you have received.

We all belong to the family known as humanity, which I believe was created in the Image of God. This belief must cause us all to acknowledge that we all have different lived experiences, experience different joys & traumas, live by diverse world views, and yet still deserve to be treated with “KIND” ness!