Are You Kind?
Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice. Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. -- Daniel 4:27
Sometimes it seems we divide the way we see people into two groups: those who are like us or like we want to be and those who aren't. If someone is richer, smarter, better looking, then we lift them up. We also think highly of those who are like us.
But if that person isn't either, well, that person we look down on. It's almost as though we feel better about ourselves if we think we're better than someone else. We tell ourselves: At least I didn't do that. At least I'm not like that. How sad is that?
And how far from the type of people God wants us to be. King Nebuchadnezzar thought highly of himself. Too highly. He didn't give God credit for allowing him to be king or the greatness of Babylon. Nor did he always show compassion for the captives, who were God's people.. Nebuchadnezzar was volatile and prone to killing folks. Yes, he was a king ready for a dose of humility from the Almighty God. Pride is, after all, a sin.
God did warn Nebuchadnezzar through a dream that Daniel interpreted. Daniel begged the king to change his ways, to do what was right and be kind to the oppressed. Nebuchadnezzar didn't and he spent seven years living among animals and eating grass. When he finally looked upward and recognized God as the One Most High.
What about you? Are you kind to those who are different from you? Do you look down on the poor? Do you hold in high esteem those who have money? Or do you leave the judgments to God? Do you show mercy? Do you reach out to all people equally?
What are you waiting for?
No comments:
Post a Comment