Day 18: Kindness | Freedom & Flow 2025

At the end of last year, I had all 21 words for this devotional drafted, including this one: kindness. But this week, in the face of brazen mistreatment of people and groups on full display and the sting of microaggressions in my own interactions, kindness has felt distant—buried beneath the weight of anger, frustration, and hurt. And yet, today’s passage convicted me. It nudged me to point my heart and mind back to kindness—not as my surface-level reaction to it all, but as my deeply rooted wiring to care for people.

Here’s what I remind myself when I’m not so nice—I’m human. And the truth is, there’s a difference between being nice and being kind that’s important to remember. Niceness is a surface disposition, a politeness we might offer in passing—or not. But kindness? Kindness is a heart posture. It’s rooted in compassion for others and grows out of the love of Christ. Kindness is courageous. She steps into hard places with care and compassion, even when it’s uncomfortable. And while niceness might skip past discomfort just to “keep the peace,” kindness steps directly into those uncomfortable places with love, even when it’s hard.

We can’t always “play nice.” There are moments when truth needs to be spoken, boundaries need to be upheld, and injustices need to be called out. But even then—especially then—kindness calls us to respond from a place of love for people, and to operate with the same grace and mercy, not that others have shown us, but that we’ve been shown by God. In all honesty, I am still working on this, but I am reminded today that His Word calls us to: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32 (Whew!)

Kindness is just that: a reflection of God’s love at work in our lives. It’s the fruit of a heart transformed by His grace. And it’s a choice we make—even when we don’t feel like it, even when it’s hard, and even when the world and the evil that resides in it seems to make it more difficult by the day.

So, today, let’s reflect on kindness—not as a feeling but as a constant reflection of Christ’s love at work in our lives. Where can you choose kindness? Who might need it most from you right now? Take a moment to pray, reflect, and act accordingly.

Passage

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." – Ephesians 4:32

Prayer

Lord, let kindness and compassion flow from me as I reflect Your love to others.

Prompt

Who in your life might need an extra dose of kindness today?

Practice

Perform an intentional act of kindness, whether it's writing a thoughtful note, helping someone in need, or offering a word of encouragement.

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Love, Maaden