Thursday, July 27, 2023

Kindness Merely to Impress Others

Have you ever met someone who is kind and friendly to some people but is unkind and rude to those they don't particularly like?
Those who treat people differently because of their attitude of superiority are showing their real selves, that is their inner heart is manipulative and malicious. It is evidence of an insecure person who needs to feel superior in order to generate confidence. These people are also self-absorbed without regard to anyone but themselves.
Those who are kind and loving are that way toward everyone all the time. It is not within a kind person to be rude even to those they don't particularly like. These people think of others before they think of themselves. They have no need to impress others so they are free to fully love.
Matthew 5:43-44
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"
Those who are only friendly to those they wish to impress are phoneys. Also, those who listen to the gossip of the phonies are also at their core rude and mean on the inside.
Those who are loving and kind at their core inner being love to be kind, it's their very nature. Those who are superior acting and kind to some and rude to others are at their core inner being, mean people.
Often the rude people know they have been rude which is why they must concoct a desired negative belief about their target to justify how rude and mean they were to them.
Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
When we spend our time seeking Christ to grow in holiness we will grow in humility. We will be convicted by the Holy Spirit at the slightest sign of jealousy or pride causing us to confess it to be cleansed.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Those who pridefully act superior cannot grow emotionally and spiritually mature. They remain, infants, until they will recognize it in themselves and confess it to God and ask for Him to change their hearts.
May all of us keep close accounts of our own attitudes, evaluating ourselves asking God to reveal in us anything that does not honor Him.
1 Corinthians 11:31
"31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged."
If we are evaluating ourselves, hearing from the Holy Spirit and confessing that which does not honor God then and only then will be grow in holiness, confidence as well as emotional and spiritual maturity.
No confessing of sin and there will be no move forward. If we neglect to confess we will not only not grow we will regress and if we continue in that stubborn state God may make that spiritual and emotional regression permanent.
Matthew 13:15
"15 For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their heart, and return,
And I would heal them.’"
Romans 2:5
"But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,"
It is likely that most of the people today who say they are Christians do not confess because they were never born again. However, if a believer becomes stubborn the Holy Spirit Who lives in them may stop speaking allowing the believer to become spiritually dull and not useful to the gospel. Their witness may be hindered.
John 15:6-8 "…6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.…'"
Those who do not remain were never born again. Those who remain are the born-again ones who have the seal of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of their inheritance.
Ephesians 1:13-14
"13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, 14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."

I've Come Too Far | Small Town USA | Official Music Video | Redeemed Qua...