Where I struggle with this is when someone has inappropriate feelings toward me when I've simply been kind. This leads to me feeling unkind and unloving, and all I can do is pray that God will bring godly men into his life to lead them to Jesus, because clearly I can't be that person.
Thank you for sharing and I couldn't agree more. The hardest people to be kind to are most definitely the ones who are the unkindest to us. I read this about kindness in this context in in a commentary book that I have been reading through called Christ centered Exposition. "It is not just an action toward one to whom it is easy to be kind but a reaction to one who is not. Love is "quick" to pay back with kindness what it received in hurt." And while I agree with this, I also remind myself that the Apostle Paul is talking to Christians about what their Christian Walk should look like. Being kind to the unkind is opposite of what the world sees as right. So many are about pay back, and retribution. However, there are those that we have to be kind to from a distance. God does not ask us to remain in toxic or unhealthy relationships with unbelievers who hinder us or harm us. (I'm not sure of the relationship that you are talking about that's why I wanted to respond from both perspectives so that may not be applicable to your situation at all.) And just a side note... 1 Corinthians 15:33 says "Don't be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." Here Paul was explaining that "Bad company" are those people trying to bring untrue false teachings into the church. We can show kindness in those times where we must be around bad character, but we do not have to invite those into our lives because then we put our character and morals at risk. What I agree with most is that you should pray. Absolutely 100%. There is no life that God cannot redeem. No one has sinned or messed up too much to be made right through Salvation in Jessu. So yes.... you just pray and I will pray along with you for strength to be kind upon encounters with this person, for discernment and wisdom as you navigate this relationship and make decisions on when, if or how often you interact with this individual, for strong and faithful Godly men to come into this person's life and Boldy share Christ and for repentance and a heart change for this person. I hope you have a wonderful day.
Where I struggle with this is when someone has inappropriate feelings toward me when I've simply been kind. This leads to me feeling unkind and unloving, and all I can do is pray that God will bring godly men into his life to lead them to Jesus, because clearly I can't be that person.
Thank you for sharing and I couldn't agree more. The hardest people to be kind to are most definitely the ones who are the unkindest to us. I read this about kindness in this context in in a commentary book that I have been reading through called Christ centered Exposition. "It is not just an action toward one to whom it is easy to be kind but a reaction to one who is not. Love is "quick" to pay back with kindness what it received in hurt." And while I agree with this, I also remind myself that the Apostle Paul is talking to Christians about what their Christian Walk should look like. Being kind to the unkind is opposite of what the world sees as right. So many are about pay back, and retribution. However, there are those that we have to be kind to from a distance. God does not ask us to remain in toxic or unhealthy relationships with unbelievers who hinder us or harm us. (I'm not sure of the relationship that you are talking about that's why I wanted to respond from both perspectives so that may not be applicable to your situation at all.) And just a side note... 1 Corinthians 15:33 says "Don't be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." Here Paul was explaining that "Bad company" are those people trying to bring untrue false teachings into the church. We can show kindness in those times where we must be around bad character, but we do not have to invite those into our lives because then we put our character and morals at risk. What I agree with most is that you should pray. Absolutely 100%. There is no life that God cannot redeem. No one has sinned or messed up too much to be made right through Salvation in Jessu. So yes.... you just pray and I will pray along with you for strength to be kind upon encounters with this person, for discernment and wisdom as you navigate this relationship and make decisions on when, if or how often you interact with this individual, for strong and faithful Godly men to come into this person's life and Boldy share Christ and for repentance and a heart change for this person. I hope you have a wonderful day.