I saw the words today and they stayed with me.
Shoutout to people whose kindness isn’t a strategy but a way of life.
That's not kindness. There is, indeed, a name for it: Niceness.
Niceness is often polite, agreeable and outwardly pleasant, yet quietly calculating. It measures return. It offers warmth with strings attached. It smiles while asking, What will this cost me, and what will I gain?🤔
Kindness is different.
Kindness flows from the heart that has been loved first. It is not performative. It does not keep score. It does not withdraw when unreciprocated. Kindness gives because it reflects the nature of Christ within us, not because it guarantees safety, approval, or advantage.
Jesus was not nice. He was kind.
He loved without leverage. He served without a strategy. He healed without demanding loyalty in return. He spoke truth even when it cost Him reputation, comfort, and ultimately His life. His kindness was not an exchange; it was an outpouring.
📖 "But when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." — Titus 3:4–5 (NKJV)
True kindness is anchored in mercy. It is steady when misunderstood. It remains gentle even when it is not rewarded. It chooses love because love is who God is.
Living this way requires discernment.
Kindness does not mean self-betrayal. It does not mean tolerating harm or manipulation. It simply means that whatever we give, we give freely, honestly, and without hidden motives.
Kindness as a way of life is a quiet witness. It reveals whose heart we are formed by.
💡Reflection:
Where have I confused niceness with kindness in my own life 🤔
Do I ever give with an unspoken expectation attached 🤔
How does Jesus model kindness differently from people-pleasing 🤔
🎺Affirmation:
I choose kindness rooted in Christ, not niceness shaped by fear. I am free to love without strategy, to give without calculation, and to walk in truth with grace.
🙌 Prayer:
Lord Jesus, shape my heart after Yours. Remove every trace of performance, fear, or hidden motive from the way I love. Teach me to be kind as You are kind, grounded in truth, guided by wisdom, and led by love. Let my life reflect Your mercy in quiet, faithful ways. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Maandag 22 Desember 2025
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