2024 - The Year of Kindness and Compassion

“When we think of best business practices, what first comes to mind probably aren’t qualities like kindness and generosity. But according to entrepreneur James Rhee, they should. In Rhee’s experience as CEO at a company on the brink of financial ruin, prioritising what he calls “goodwill”—a “culture of kindness” and a spirit of giving—saved the company and led to its flourishing. Putting these qualities at centre stage gave people the hope and motivation they needed to unify, innovate and problem-solve. Rhee explains that “goodwill . . . is a real asset that can compound and be amplified.”

In daily life too, it’s easy to think of qualities like kindness as vague and intangible, afterthoughts to our other priorities.” ‘Building Up Goodwill’ 2^nd December 2023 Our Daily Bread Devotional

As I read the above in the devotional of that particular day, God spoke straight into my heart and He said this:-

“Even My people, called by My Name, have forgotten how to live in a culture of kindness. Yes, My people have forgotten how to put others first in this world where it is the ‘me, myself and I’ culture. My people have forgotten that hope and motivation are desperately needed in this day and this age. My people have forgotten how to be kind and compassionate to one another and to lift each other up.”

As I contemplated this statement from the devotional and the word that the Lord gave me, I felt God impress on my heart that if we thought things were tough now, they are going to get tougher. But I also heard the Spirit of the Lord say that this would also usher in His Glory in unprecedented ways. Because then the Christians who have fallen out of love with Jesus and forgotten that He is their first love will return to Him like the Prodigal Son. And the people in the world who don’t want to believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would begin to accept that the God who created the universe is real, alive and wants a relationship with them.

I believe that as Christians it is time we stepped up and, as I said in a previous Blog, bring Heaven to earth. I believe that it is time that Christians stopped being selfish and thinking only of themselves and their own needs and started being the kind of people who bring hope to the hopeless, love to those who feel unloved, kindness in a selfish world. I believe that the time has come for the Church, and Christians, to stand on and live by the truth in the Word of God, and not twist the Word of God to suit their own ends. I believe that loving our enemies and praying for them is part of the solution to the problems of the world. I believe that instead of criticism and judgement, we need to show love and compassion, grace and mercy. And I believe that God is reminding us of the importance of praying for the Peace of Jerusalem so that we can be people who prosper (and not just financially!) according to His riches in Glory (Psalm 122:6).

I also read this statement in the Devotional entitled ‘Fierce Days’ from Wrapped in Christ: 365 Devotions from the Pauline Epistles (The Passion Translation Devotionals) by Brian Simmons - “You need to be aware that in the final days the culture of society will become extremely fierce. 2 TIMOTHY 3:1 Paul goes on to describe the fierceness of culture by describing how people will become more self-centered and looking out only for themselves. Others will become obsessed with money. Pride and arrogance will run rampant. Ungratefulness and disconnectedness will increase. This is not the whole of the story, though. There are also those who love goodness and kindness, who seek to share the mercy-kindness of God, and who live with integrity. We get to choose whom we will spend time around. When we choose to surround ourselves with those who care more about pleasing God than pleasing themselves, we choose wisely. The days are fierce, but the love of God cuts through with even more force. Let’s align ourselves with the power of his resurrection life and remain faithful to his loyal love.”

God has put us in the place that He has so that we can be people who influence the atmosphere and people around us with His love and Kingdom Culture. God has been asking us more than ever to ALIGN ourselves with HIM, and not with the ways of the world. Will you choose to join me as we choose and purpose to bring Heaven to earth, and influence the people around us with Kingdom Culture?

My prayer is that 2024 will be the year that we see God move in unprecedented ways and that His glory is released on this earth. I want to align myself with the move of God in 2024 – I hope you will want to as well. May this year be a year that is noted for the kindness and compassion of Christians. May this year be a year where we see God’s goodness in the land of the living because we have aligned ourselves with Him and are working with Him to bring Heaven to earth.

I hope this prayer from the ‘Fierce Day’s' devotional blesses you and sustains you in this year.

“Mighty God, your love is more powerful than the grave, and it is more powerful than the wickedness in the world. I choose to follow your path of mercy, knowing that there is renewal, peace, and life in your presence. You are better than any self-serving dream I could ever achieve.”
 

Be blessed

Jean

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