Lessons On Living

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Elijah
Scripture: 1 Kings 19:11-12

Blessed Quietness

1 Kings 19:11-12

Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

Blessed Quietness

Years ago when people had ice boxes instead of refrigerators, a man working in an ice plant lost a valuable watch in the sawdust in which the ice was stored. His fellow workmen searched with him, but were unable to find it. They left the plant for lunch and returned to find a young boy with the watch. When they inquired how he found it, the boy replied, "I just lay down in the sawdust and heard it ticking." With all the noisy machinery turned off and a person predisposed to listen, the watch wasn't hard to find at all.

As Elijah stood on Mount Horeb, he was treated to a spectacular display of God's power. A great wind reduced mighty boulders to pebbles. An earthquake shook the ground. Then the mountain was bathed in fire. Each of these was a manifestation of God's power, but they were not God. It was not until all the noise had stopped that Elijah found God Himself—in a still, small voice.

Today it's hard to get away from the noise. The hubbub of the city, the noise of the factory, the cry of children, the blare of the radio or television—all contribute to a cacophony. In the midst of these things, intimate communion with God is nearly impossible. That's why it's essential that we seek a quiet retreat where we can hear God's still, small voice.

Find a place today where you can shut out the noise of the world. Ask God to calm your mind and remove the clamor that so often fills it. Tune your heart to listen for His voice and discover His intimacy. Get alone. Be still. Stay quiet. Hear God.

Intimacy with God comes in whispers, not shouts.

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Elijah
Scripture: 1 Kings 19:15-16

Face Your Fears

1 Kings 19:15-16

Then the Lord said to him: "Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place."

Face Your Fears

Biologists say that fear is not only a universal emotion, but the first of the emotions to be developed in man and beast. If you have ever picked up a baby bird fallen from its nest, you have felt the rapid, terrified beating of its heart. Even though it has had no experience with you or any other person, it is fearful.

All of creation is under the dominion of fear. Man comes into this world stamped with fear before he is born, and those fears are multiplied as he increases in knowledge and experience. But it can be a mistake to make decisions based on fear.

Elijah made the mistake of giving in to his fears—and he fled from his homeland and his responsibilities. But when he renewed his commitment to God on Mount Horeb, the Lord turned him around and sent him back to face what he left behind. God knew the only way Elijah would conquer his fears was to confront them. Running away would never do it.

Many Christians have fled from their duties because of fears. Pastors have left churches, missionaries have come home from the field, mothers and fathers have left their families—all because of their fears: fear of failure, fear of pain, fear of suffering. But we can never overcome our fears if we have our back toward them, running away. We have to face them.

If you have allowed fear to cause you to flee from something you know you should do, turn around and face it. In God's power and by His will, you can have victory over your fears.

Never turn your back on your fears.

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Elijah
Scripture: 1 Kings 19:18

All Is Not Lost

1 Kings 19:18

"Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."

All Is Not Lost

During the Boer War (1899-1902), a man was convicted of a very unusual crime. He was found guilty of being a "discourager." The South African town of Ladysmith was under attack, and this traitor would move up and down the lines of soldiers who were defending the city and do everything he could to discourage them. He would point out the enemy's strength, the difficulty of defending against them and the inevitable capture of the city. He didn't use a gun in his attack; it wasn't necessary. His weapon was the power of discouragement.

Satan is just such a discourager. He is not mentioned by name in this passage, but it's obvious he had disheartened Elijah. He convinced the prophet that all was lost. Over and over he told Elijah that "he alone was left." And Elijah came to believe that. But when it came time for Elijah to go back into the thick of things again, God revealed the truth to him. Instead of Satan's lie that "he alone was left," there were actually 7,000 people in Israel who had not followed after the false god Baal.

Satan is always ready to make things appear worse than they are if he can use it to discourage us. He continually tries to feed false information to believers so they might become discouraged, and too often he succeeds. God, however, offers the solution to Satan's lies—the exceeding great and precious promises of His Word. In the Bible we find more than enough optimism to overcome the Devil's pessimism.

If your life is filled with "doom and gloom," remember this may well be Satan's way of destroying your effectiveness for the Lord. How can you counter the Devil's devices? Turn to the promises of God's Word. Let the Bible be your encouragement today.

When God lifts you up, Satan can never put you down.

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Elijah
Scripture: 1 Kings 19:19-21

No Turning Back

1 Kings 19:19-21

So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?" So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and served him.

No Turning Back

On December 21, 1620, the Mayflower dropped anchor in Plymouth Bay. It had been a grueling voyage across the Atlantic, taking the small ship 66 days to make the perilous crossing. There had been disease, anxiety and even childbirth among the 102 courageous passengers. Furthermore, they arrived on the bleak New England shore during a hard winter that ultimately claimed the lives of half their number. But when spring came and the captain of the Mayflower offered free passage to anyone desiring to return, not a single person accepted. These folks had made a commitment and they were not turning back.

Elijah's call to Elisha brought the same response. As a farmer, Elisha had been plowing with 12 yoke of oxen. When Elijah threw his mantle on this hardworking plowboy, Elisha took the very means of his livelihood, a yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them to provide a farewell feast for his friends. In doing so, he cut the ties to his old life and demonstrated his commitment to the ministry ahead of him.

Christians need to take this same step of commitment. We cannot live effectively for Christ if one foot is in the faith and the other is in the world. We need to make a clean break with the past and live for the Lord.

If God has called you to a particular kind of service, commit yourself unreservedly to it. Let your past be the past. Put it behind you and move forward with God. There's no greater ingredient for success in serving God.

There's no room for turning around in Christ's service.

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Elijah
Scripture: 1 Kings 21:20-22

Blessed Enemy

1 Kings 21:20-22

Then Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" And he answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord: 'Behold, I will bring calamity on you. I will take away your posterity, and will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both bond and free. I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and made Israel sin.'"

Blessed Enemy

Those who might be called our enemies can actually do us great service. Socrates noted that every man needs a faithful friend and a bitter enemy—the one to advise him, and the other to make him look about him. Benjamin Franklin said, "Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults." And the Greek philosopher Antisthenes admonished, "Pay attention to your enemies, for they are the first to discover your mistakes."

Elijah could have helped King Ahab to discover his mistakes, if the king would have permitted him to do so. Ahab was surrounded by false prophets who were telling him only what they thought he wanted to hear. His wife, Jezebel, was leading him down the path of destruction by her zealous attempt to establish Baal worship in Israel. Elijah was his only hope, but the king dismissed him because he was an "enemy."

If a Christian is living for the Lord, he will have enemies. This will not be because he has cultivated them; it's simply the natural response of the world to the Gospel. But such a situation can be turned to our advantage. The Lord can use even our enemies to accomplish His will in our lives.

If you have an enemy, listen to him or her carefully. See if underneath their bitterness or anger there might not be a grain of truth in their complaint with you. Enemies often identify our faults much better than our friends do. Why not try listening to them? It may in the long run make you more Christlike.

Cherish your enemies; they may be blessings in disguise.

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Elijah
Scripture: 2 Kings 1:2-3

Is There No God?

2 Kings 1:2-3

Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was injured; so he sent messengers and said to them, "Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury." But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?'"

Is There No God?

Shortly after the outspoken atheist Robert G. Ingersoll was defeated in his race for governor of Illinois, he was spouting off about his atheism on board a train from Chicago to Peoria. He turned to a gentleman near him and demanded, "Tell me one great result that Christianity has ever accomplished." Not wishing to get into an argument with the boaster, the man hesitated to answer. For a moment it was silent in the car. Then an elderly lady who sat right behind him touched his arm with a trembling hand and said, "Sir, I do not know who you are, but I think I can tell you of one glorious thing which Christianity has done." "What is it, Madam?" asked Ingersoll. "It has kept Robert G. Ingersoll from being governor of the State of Illinois," she replied.

Those who choose to deny God always pay a great price. When King Ahaziah was injured and sent a messenger to inquire of the god of Ekron concerning his recovery, God sent Elijah to respond. "Because you have failed to trust the Lord," Elijah proclaimed, "you will die." And he did (v. 17). Ahaziah's unbelief cost him his life.

Unbelievers are not the only ones who stand to lose from their lack of faith. Christians sometimes profess to believe in Christ, but their actions fail to demonstrate they truly trust Him. Such inconsistency will cost them dearly in terms of peace and joy. It could even cause them to lose some of their heavenly rewards.

Let your walk match your talk. If you trust the Lord for your salvation, trust Him for all the other areas of your life as well. When you get God's counsel, you've got the best counsel there is.

Unbelief is never cheap; it costs more than it pays.

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Elijah
Scripture: 2 Kings 1:10-12

God Takes Care of His Own

2 Kings 1:10-12

So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said to him: "Man of God, thus has the king said, 'Come down quickly!'" So Elijah answered and said to them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

God Takes Care of His Own

Many years ago on a bitterly cold January night, the inhabitants of the town of Sleswick, Germany, were in great distress. A hostile army was marching on them, and the reports of the conduct of these lawless soldiers struck fear in every resident's heart. In this town, however, lived a grandmother with her widowed daughter and her grandson. As they waited, this aged woman prayed for God to "build a wall of defense around them." At midnight the enemy came pouring into the village, breaking down the doors of the houses. But not even a knock came to this woman's door. In the morning she found out why. The snowfall that night had drifted in front of her door, creating such a massive wall that it was impossible to get to them. "There!" said the grandmother. "God answered my prayers. He raised up a wall around us!"

God does take care of His own. When King Ahaziah sent a regiment of 50 men and their captain to take Elijah by force, God responded to Elijah's predicament by sending down fire that consumed them. The same happened to a second group of 50. It was only when a third group approached Elijah with the fear of the Lord that their lives were spared.

Every Christian walks under the protective watch care of an omnipotent God. There is not a moment when His eye is not on us. Take heart. Until God's purpose for you on earth is completed, no danger can truly threaten you. God will take care of you.

Fear God and you'll have nothing else to fear.

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Elijah
Scripture: 2 Kings 2:1-2

Step-by-step

2 Kings 2:1-2

And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel." And Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they went down to Bethel.

Step-by-step

A man was driving along a highway when he suddenly ran into a stretch of dense fog. While considering how he might stay on the road, he noticed a reflector light along the shoulder of the road catching the glare of his headlights. Slowly he inched himself up to the first reflector only to discover that a second reflector light was now showing in the distance. When he reached the second, he found a third shining up ahead. Slowly, light by light, he worked his way along the highway until he drove out of the fog.

As Elijah traveled toward his ultimate meeting with the Lord, he found that God led him in the same way. First he was instructed to leave Gilgal and go to Bethel. From Bethel he was led to Jericho (v. 4); from Jericho he was led to the Jordan River (v. 6) and on into the wilderness (v. 11). God did not reveal the whole journey beforehand, but led the prophet step-by-step along the way.

So often we Christians want to know what's ahead for us and our loved ones. We chafe because God doesn't reveal His plans for next week or next month or next year. But God is much more interested in developing our trust than He is in revealing the future. His light is always sufficient for the next step, but seldom for the entire trip.

Let God lead you step-by-step. Trust that as He has given you enough light to take the next step, He will continue to provide for each step along the way. Be content with God's provision for today and let the future rest with Him.

God won't light your second step until you have taken the first one.

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Elijah
Scripture: 2 Kings 2:6-8

Let Your Light Still Shine

2 Kings 2:6-8

Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So the two of them went on. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

Let Your Light Still Shine

Serving the Lord is not just for the young. John Wesley preached until he died at age 90. Gladys Stall of Lake Magdalene, Florida, has taught Sunday school for 82 years. She began at the age of 14 and is still teaching six-and seven-year-olds at the age of 96.

As we encounter Elijah in the last few days of his ministry, we find a man still actively proclaiming the reality and glory of God. Proceeding toward his appointment with destiny and the fiery chariot of God, he demonstrated the power of God by parting the water of the Jordan. Even in his closing moments, Elijah dramatically revealed that the God of Israel is an awesome God.

Christians never reach the age where they can completely "retire" from the Lord's service. Even when we may physically no longer be able to do the things we once did, God can still use us to reveal His power and glory. It may be in a ministry of prayer or encouragement, and that may prove to be the best ministry we've ever had. Perhaps God will demonstrate His awesome power through the life experiences of His more senior saints. However He chooses, our latter years should be as much at His disposal as our former ones.

Whatever you have left in this life, give it to God. Commit yourself to bring glory to Him in your elder years as you have in your younger ones. Who knows? The best may be yet to come.

Finishing well brings more glory to God than beginning well.

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[nChrist]

Title: In the Midst of the Whirlwind
Book: Lessons on Living from Elijah
Author: Woodrow Kroll

2 Kings 2:1, 11

And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

In the Midst of the Whirlwind

Eagles have an interesting flight pattern. Instead of fleeing the winds of stormy weather, they turn to face them. The same winds that blow others away are used by these magnificent birds to lift them higher.

A storm lifted Elijah into the presence of God. Traveling from Gilgal with his disciple Elisha, he was forewarned by the sons of the prophets in Bethel, and again in Jericho, that this was the day God would take him away. But instead of fleeing from this potentially frightening possibility, the prophet continued on, content to let God have His will. When they crossed over the Jordan River, a chariot of fire separated Elisha from his master, and a whirlwind lifted Elijah up and away. The roaring winds of a desert storm, which normally brought destruction, became for Elijah the vehicle by which God elevated him into heaven.

When life's whirlwinds blow through our lives, we have a choice. We can focus on our trials and troubles, or we can use the whirlwind to be lifted up before the Lord in prayer and praise. What others see as a deadly devastation can become that which draws us more completely into God's presence.

Don't run away from the storms of life. They may be God's method of bringing you closer to Him. Instead, spread your wings of prayer and praise. Consider the winds of strife as opportunities to be lifted closer to the Lord.

Don't let your trials blow you down; let them lift you up.

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[nChrist]

Title: In His Steps
Book: Lessons on Living from Elijah
Author: Woodrow Kroll

2 Kings 2:14

Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

In His Steps

Someone once said, "The footsteps that a boy usually wants to follow are those that his father hoped he had covered up." But not so with Elijah.

In the time that Elijah had spent with Elisha, he left behind footprints that he hoped his "spiritual son" would be able and willing to follow. Not the least of these was the miraculous way God demonstrated His power through his prophet. Just as the Lord had parted the water of the Jordan River when Elijah struck it with his mantle (v. 8), Elisha soon discovered that God would do the same for him as he walked in Elijah's footsteps.

Every Christian leaves behind footprints. As he walks through the good times as well as times of difficulty, and as he demonstrates God's power and presence in the various situations he encounters as a believer, a Christian leaves indelible impressions upon those who are watching.

If people were to follow in your footsteps, where would they be led? Would they find themselves at places of pleasure more often than at church? Would your footprints lead to questionable activities rather than to godly behavior? Would they discover more intimacy with God because they trod where you had stepped?

As you make your way through life, remember that others are coming behind you. Be sure your feet only take you where you want their feet to take them. Like it or not, you're leaving footprints behind that they will want to follow.

Watch where you step; those you love are close behind.

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Title: Desperate Times
Book: Lessons on Living From Ruth
Author: Woodrow Kroll

Ruth 1:1

Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.

Desperate Times

Desperation can drive us to many extremes. Comedian Woody Allen characterized our times when he said, "We stand at a crossroads. Down one road is despondency and despair, and down the other is total annihilation. Let us pray that we choose the right road." This kind of desperation sometimes even plagues God's people and causes them to make poor choices.

Elimelech was facing desperate times, and he needed to make some difficult choices. He was struggling to feed his family. A wife and two growing boys needed nourishment, but a famine gripped the land. Famines were often God's way of bringing His people to the point of submission. They were not simply to punish Israel, but to get them to turn from their sins. Yet without clear guidance from God, Elimelech chose to run away. Instead of facing the Lord's judgment on the land and trusting God to provide, he moved his family to a pagan land and raised his children in a society that did not know the God of Israel. He even broke God's law by allowing his sons to marry pagan wives (Deut. 7:3-4). It is very tempting to look for the easy way out of our problems. But any choice that takes us away from God is, in the long run, the wrong way. Elimelech's choice ultimately brought death to himself and his two sons. No matter how desperate the situation, it is always better to face what God has allowed and trust Him than it is to run from our circumstances and go it alone.

If you are experiencing difficult times, make your choices based on clear direction from God. Don't allow a feeling of desperation to steer you in the wrong direction.

Desperate choices are seldom the best choices.

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[nChrist]

Title: Transient or Tenant?
Book: Lessons on Living From Ruth
Author: Woodrow Kroll

Ruth 1:2-4

The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years.

Transient or Tenant?

Time has a way of slipping by quickly. Perhaps you've heard of the fellow who said, "You know, I'm 56. I'm middle-aged!" His wife brought him back to reality when she replied, "How many men do you know who are 112?"

Time slipped by for the family of Elimelech as well. Ruth 1:1 indicates that Elimelech moved his family to Moab with the intent to "sojourn" there. The word sojourn carries the idea of a temporary stay. Elimelech hadn't intended to remain in the land—only to visit a short time until the famine was over. But verse 4 reveals that before they knew it, they had been in the land for ten years. The sons who had gone there as young men had grown up, married local women and eventually passed away, as had their father (v. 5).

Sometimes we intend for situations to be only temporary. We think, Just as soon as the kids are through college, we'll start tithing again. Or perhaps you reason, As soon as I get through this busy period at work, I'll get back to having a daily quiet time. But days turn into weeks, weeks into months and before you know it, circumstances that were only going to be temporary have become a way of life.

Have you allowed something that was intended as transient to become a permanent fixture in your life? Have you been waiting for a more convenient time to do what you know you should be doing now? If time has slipped away for you, don't linger another day "in a distant land." If you're not where you should be, this is the day to do something about it.

Don't expect time to stand still just because you do.

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[nChrist]

Title: Never Alone
Book: Lessons on Living From Ruth
Author: Woodrow Kroll

Ruth 1:3, 5

Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.

Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.

Never Alone

A man took his elderly mother out to the cemetery to decorate graves for Memorial Day. After placing a bouquet of flowers on her husband's grave, she wandered among the other gravestones marking the resting places of other family members who had gone to be with the Lord. Finally she stopped, looked her son in the eye and with a wistful smile asked, "What have I done to deserve all this overtime?"

Perhaps Naomi felt the same way. She had left Israel with a husband and two sons; now only she was left—alone, and yet not alone. God had brought into her life two compassionate daughters-in-law, one of whom would follow her all the way back to Israel. Even though Naomi intensely felt the loss of her loved ones, God had not deserted her. He provided, even in a foreign land, those who would love and care for a forlorn widow.

God never really leaves us alone. When He removes those whom we expect to love and support us, He always provides another way for this need to be met. While you may experience the pain of separation, you never need to feel totally abandoned. Sometimes God grants you an unmistakable sense of His company. Other times He uses people around you to be the instruments of His love and comfort. In either case, His compassion never fails and His presence never falters.

Perhaps you have lost the one dearest to you. Maybe you have moved far away from family and friends. Let God fill your life with His presence in whatever way He chooses, and rejoice that He never forgets nor forsakes. Be assured that even though there may be an empty place in your home, there can be a fullness in your heart.

You may feel lonely, but you need never feel alone.

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[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living From Ruth
Scripture: Ruth 1:8

Thy Lovingkindness

Ruth 1:8

And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each to her mother's house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me."

Thy Lovingkindness

The great American novelist Henry James, in saying good-bye to his nephew, Willie, said something the boy never forgot. As they parted, he put his hand on the young man's shoulders and remarked, "Willie, there are three things that are important in human life. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind."

Naomi's daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, apparently had learned that lesson well. As she prepared to part from them, Naomi praised them both for their kindness. They had been kind to her sons, their husbands. And even after they were widowed and no longer had family obligations to their mother-in-law, they continued to show kindness to her. In the midst of a pagan land that practiced a cruel form of worship—even sacrificing little children—God had so moved on the hearts of these two women that their spirit of kindness set them apart from their fellow Moabites.

Kindness should be one of the distinguishing marks of a Christian as well. Frederick W. Faber observed, "Kind words are the music of the world. They have a power that seems to be beyond natural causes, as if they were some angel's song that had lost its way and come to earth. It seems as if they could almost do what in reality God alone can do—soften the hard and angry hearts of men. No one was ever corrected by a sarcasm—crushed, perhaps, if the sarcasm was clever enough, but drawn nearer to God, never." We must never forget that more people have been won to Christ through kindness than fiery sermons or learned arguments.

Who needs to feel the warmth of your kindness today? Do you know someone who has a special need that you can meet? Let your life be set apart by your deeds of kindness. Identify a need. Picture a face. And show your kindness to that person today.

Kindness is love in work clothes.

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