Unmeasured Kindness

Welcome to this daily encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm James Banks, and I titled our meditation today, Unmeasured Kindness. Two friends were shopping for a laptop in an electronics store when they ran into basketball great Shaquille O'Neal. Aware that O'Neal recently suffered the loss of his sister and a former teammate, they empathetically offered their condolences.

After the two men returned to their shopping, Shaq approached them and told them to pick out the nicest laptop they could find. He then bought it for them simply because they saw him as a person going through a difficult time and was moved by their kindness. Millennia before that encounter, Solomon wrote in Proverbs 11, those who are kind benefit themselves. When we consider others' needs and do what we can to help and encourage them, we're rewarded ourselves.

It may not be with a laptop or material things, but God has ways of blessing us that this world can't measure. As Solomon explained just one verse earlier in the same chapter, a kind-hearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth. There are gifts from God that are worth far more than money, and He measures them generously in His perfect wisdom and way. Kindness and generosity are part of God's character, and He loves to see them expressed in our own hearts and lives. Solomon summed up the matter well, whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Proverbs 11 verses 16 to 25. A kind-hearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth. Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves. A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death. The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse, but He delights in those whose ways are blameless. Be sure of this, the wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.

Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion. The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath. One person gives freely, yet gains even more. Another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper.

Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Let's pray. Dear God, we love your kindness, we love your wisdom, we love your word. Please help us to become more like you so that we may share your love with others in practical, down-to-earth ways. Thank you, Lord. It is in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is James Banks and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.