Extending Christ’s Kindness

Hi there, and welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled Extending Christ's Kindness, was written by Lisa M. Samra.

Kindness or Revenge? Isaiah had just been hit in the head by a wild pitch during a Little League regional championship baseball game. He dropped to the ground holding his head.

Thankfully, his helmet protected him from serious injury. As play resumed, Isaiah noticed the pitcher was visibly shaken by his unintentional error. In that moment, Isaiah did something so extraordinary that the video of his response went viral.

He walked over to the pitcher, gave him a comforting hug, and made sure the pitcher knew he was all right. In a situation that could have resulted in a brawl, Isaiah chose kindness. In the Old Testament, we see Esau make a similar, though far more difficult, choice to abandon any long-harbored plans for revenge against his deceiving twin brother Jacob. As Jacob returned home after 20 years in exile, Esau chose kindness and forgiveness instead of vengeance for the ways Jacob had wronged him. When Esau saw Jacob, he ran to meet him and embraced him. Esau accepted Jacob's apology and let him know he was all right.

When someone demonstrates remorse for wrongs committed against us, we have a choice, kindness or revenge. Choosing to embrace them in kindness follows Jesus' example and is a pathway toward reconciliation. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Genesis chapter 33, verses 1 through 11. Jacob looked up, and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants. He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear.

He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him. He threw his arms around his neck and kissed him, and they wept. Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. "'Who are these with you?'

he asked. Jacob answered, "'They are the children God has graciously given your servant.' Then the female servants and their children approached and bowed down. Next Leah and her children came and bowed down.

Last of all came Joseph and Rachel, and they too bowed down. Esau asked, "'What's the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?' "'To find favor in your eyes, my lord,' he said. But Esau said, "'I already have plenty, my brother.

Keep what you have for yourself.' "'No, please,' said Jacob, "'if I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift for me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably. Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me, and I have all I need.'

And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it." Let's pray. Loving Savior, we humbly ask for Your guidance in walking the path You've laid out for us, showing compassion even in the face of wrongdoing. Grant us the strength to forgive as You forgave, and may our actions reflect Your boundless love and mercy. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Tony Collier, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.